Daily GK Updates - 17th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s 1st National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub set up in Kolkata: India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub was recently inaugurated in Kolkata. The Kolkata centre would be the hub for research on antibiotic resistance not only for the country but for the entire South Asia. The centre was jointly inaugurated by the ICMR, in association with the U.S. Consulate of Kolkata and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2. India offers 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs: Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' (HRD Minister) and S Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister) have jointly launched a major programme offering 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) in India. The country's partnership with South-East Asian nations has developed historically through a shared quest for knowledge. The scheme has an initial budget of Rs. 300 crore. The funding will cover the entire cost of study and living expenses for up to 5 years of a PhD programme. The admission portal for the programme would be executed by IIT Delhi.

Note: In January 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced 1000 fellowships for ASEAN citizens to pursue PhD programmes at an IIT of their choice. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia.

3. India’s first central police university to come up in Greater Noida: The country’s first central police university will be set up by the Union home ministry off the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. Union Government had given in-principle approval for the university and a 100-acre plot has been identified in Sector Techzone for it. The land earmarked for the university had been allotted to an IT company. The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) confirmed that the land had been allotted to the Centre at a cost of Rs 372 crore. The university will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses on policing, internal security, cybercrime and forensic sciences.

4. Piyush Goyal launches Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS): Piyush Goyal (Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways) and Hardeep Singh Puri (Minister of State for Commerce & Industry) jointly launched the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) in New Delhi. In this system, the importers of specified steel products will register in advance on the web portal of SIMS, providing the necessary information. SIMS has been developed, in consultation with the Ministry of Steel, on the pattern of US Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) system. SIMS will provide advance information about steel imports to Government and stakeholders (steel industry (producers), steel consumers (importers)) for effective policy interventions.

5. National Centre for Clean Coal Research & Development inaugurated at Bengaluru: Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr.  Harsh Vardhan has inaugurated National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development as a national-level consortium on clean coal R&D, led by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru. National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) has been set up by the Ministry of Science & Technology as a national level consortium on clean coal R&D, led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bengaluru. Dr. Harsh Vardhan also dedicated an Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research (ICER) to the Nation. ICER is India’s first of its kind centre equipped with state-of-art facilities for conducting wide spectrum of energy research by knowledge network of elite researchers.

6. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 implemented: The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 has come into effect. The Bill will facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of unauthorized occupants from Government residential accommodations and ensure retrieval of these residential accommodations from unauthorized occupants. The Act confers powers upon the Estate Officers to evict such unauthorized occupants from public premises in a smooth, speedy and time-bound manner. As per the Amendment Act, the Estate officer will issue short Show cause notice of three days before eviction of the unauthorized occupant from Government accommodation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President Ram Nath Kovind accorded ceremonial welcome in Slovenia: President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in South Central European country of Slovenia after concluding his visit to Iceland and Switzerland. President Kovind was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Borut Pahor of Slovenia. India and Slovenia signed seven agreements and MoUs in diverse fields in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind and President Pahor. The President will lay a wreath at the memorial of the war victims. This is the first-ever visit by any Indian President to Slovenia after it gained Independence in 1991.

Note: The capital and largest city is Ljubljana.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Steve Smith creates a record of scoring most runs in a series this century: Australian batsman Steve Smith has become the highest run-scorer in a Test series of this century. Steve Smith finished the Ashes series 2019 with 774 runs from the 4 matches at an average of over 110 with 3 centuries and 3 half-centuries. Earlier, Smith went past his own record of scoring 769 runs against India during the 2014-15 season. Smith has made his comeback in the international cricket in the ICC Men's World Cup after serving a 12 months suspension for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal at Newlands in March 2018.

Most Test runs in a 4 matches series:

829 - Viv Richards (in 1976)

774 - Sunil Gavaskar (in 1971)

774 - Steve Smith (in 2019)

769 - Steve Smith (in 2014/15)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. ECGC launches scheme “Nirvik” to ease the lending process: Ministry of Commerce & Industry through Export Credit Guarantee Corporation has introduced a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme called NIRVIK. The Niryat Rin Vikash Yojana has been launched to enhance loan availability to exporters and to ease the lending process. Under the new scheme NIRVIK, up to 90 per cent of the principal amount and interest will be covered through insurance. During the launch, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal revealed that Central government will give support of Rs 8,500 crore to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India in the next 5 years.

2. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy appointed as CMD of Cognizant India: Cognizant Technology Solutions has appointed Ramkumar Ramamoorthy as Chairman and Managing Director of Cognizant India. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy has played a leading role marketing and communications, market research and intelligence, public affairs, and knowledge management in his 21 plus years of experience in the company.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Sheikh Hasina receives Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019 in Dhaka for her contribution in fostering cooperation between India and Bangladesh. Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council and former Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan handed over the award to Sheikh Hasina.  The Presidents of the Maldives, Ghana and Mauritius earlier received the prestigious award since its introduction in 2015.

Note: The award has been instituted in the memory of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The award is given every year to honour statesmen or leaders who have shown excellence in respective fields to achieve the best for their countries.

2. Bangladesh School project wins Aga Khan Architecture Award: Bangladesh’s bamboo-made school built by Arcadia Education Project at South Kanarchor in Keraniganj has won the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The award was given away in Kajan, the republic of Tatarstan for the Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh. The project involved the construction of a school in an area which is underwater during the monsoon months. The architect of the project Saif Ul Haque designed a school which remains on the ground during the dry season and floats when the area is submerged in water during monsoon The winners that include five other structures in Bahrain, Palestine, Russia, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates will share USD 1 million between them.

Note: The Award was established by the Shia Ismaili community’s spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully addressed the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence.

3. Neena Gupta wins two awards at Boston Film Festival: Bollywood actor Neena Gupta has won 2 awards at Indian International Film Festival of Boston. The actress won the Best Actress award for ‘Badhaai Ho‘ and her film ‘The Last Color‘ emerged victorious in Best Feature Film category. ‘The Last Color’ was directed by chef Vikas Khanna. The film deals with taboo surrounding widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi in India.

4. Agnes Kharshiing conferred the 11th International Hrant Dink Award: Meghalaya-based rights activist Agnes Kharshiing, who survived an assault by the coal mafia almost a year ago, received the 11th International Hrant Dink Award. She received the award along with Turkish activist against male violence, Nebahat Akkoc. The two activists were presented the award that commemorates the memory of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was killed in 2007, in Istanbul.

Note: The Hrant Dink Award is presented every year to individuals, organisations or groups that work for a world free from discrimination, racism and violence.

DEFENCE

1. Trilateral Exercise “SITMEX” Commences at Port Blair: A maiden trilateral exercise SITMEX, involving Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) started at Port Blair. The exercise aims to bolster the maritime inter-relationships among the Singapore Thailand and India, and contribute significantly to enhance the overall maritime security in the region. This would also strengthen the mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures.

OBITUARIES

1. Former AP Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao passes away: Former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Kodela Sivaprasada Rao (72-years) passed away at a city hospital in Hyderabad. Kodela reportedly attempted suicide at his residence in the city. He was a 6-time MLA elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. He served as the Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly from 2014 to 2019. He also served as a minister in the NT Rama Rao and Chandrababu Naidu governments of Andhra Pradesh.

Daily GK Updates - 16th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Great Ganga Run 2019 flagged off in New Delhi: Jal Shakti Minister and Sports Minister flagged off “Great Ganga Run-2019″ at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The marathon was organized to create awareness about River Ganga. The marathon was organised by Ministry of Jal Shakti. A large number of people from all age groups participated in the marathon. Jal Shakti ministry will organise Ganga Expedition from October 9 as well.

Note: Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports: Kiren Rijiju.

2. Justice P Lakshmana Reddy appointed as first Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh: Former judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court P. Lakshmana Reddy, who has been appointed as State’s Lokayukta. He is known for his campaign against corruption. His oath to the office was administered by Governor Biswabhusan Hairchandan at a function held in Vijayawada. Justice P Lakshmana Reddy would serve in the office of Lokayukta for 5 years. He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the state bifurcated in 2014.

Note: CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Vincent & Grenadines to join International Solar Alliance: Saint Vincent & Grenadines became the 79th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The International Solar Alliance is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries with headquarters in Gurugram, India. The organisation aims to deploy over 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy and mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030.

Note: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an Anglo-Caribbean country in the Lesser Antilles island arc, in the southern portion of the Windward Islands. It lies in the West Indies at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Capital: Kingstown; Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar.

2. President Kovind inaugurates Mahatma Gandhi's bust in Switzerland: President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated a bronze bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Villeneuve in Switzerland. After unveiling the statue, President Kovind said Mahatma Gandhi's ideology of ahimsa, peace and living in harmony with nature is relevant even today. The President is on a five- day visit to Switzerland to boost business and cultural ties. The bust was unveiled to mark the visit of Mahatma to Villeneuve in 1931. The idol sculpted by Ram Vanaji Sutar is placed on a high pedestal made of sandstone extracted from Switzerland.

3. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: 16 September: The United Nations observes 16 September every year as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun and thus help in preserving life on the planet. Theme of the day for 2019: 32 Years and Healing. The theme for this year celebrates over three decades of remarkable international cooperation to protect the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol.

Note: The day marks the commemoration of the date of signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 on substances that deplete the Ozone layer. The principal aim of the Montreal Protocol is to protect the ozone layer by taking measures to control the total consumption of these chemicals.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India beat Bangladesh by five runs to lift U-19 Asia Cup title: India clinched the Under-19 Asia Cup title (eight editions) with a thrilling five-run win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring final at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Defending a paltry total of 106, India dismissed Bangladesh for 101 in 33 overs. Left-arm spinner Atharva Ankolekar (18-years), emerged as the star of the Indian team, with figures of 5 for 28 from 8 overs.

Note: The 2019 Under-19 Asia Cup cricket tournament was held in Sri Lanka from 5th September to 15th September 2019. 8 teams participated in the tournament, including 5 full members (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan) and three qualifiers (Kuwait, Nepal and United Arab Emirates).

2. Spain beats Argentina to win Basketball World Cup: Spain defeated Argentina by 95-75 to win the Basketball World Cup held in Beijing, China. This was its second title win after 13 years. The next world cup will held in 2023 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Spain had won the title last time in 2006 with a 70-47 win over Greece. Argentina had not triumphed since it hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1950. With 32 teams, this was the biggest Basketball World Cup ever.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Aadhaar verification to be mandatory for new dealers from Jan 2020: GSTN: The ‘GST Network’ has decided to make Aadhaar authentication or physical verification mandatory for new dealers from January 2020 to check malpractices in Goods and Services Tax (GST). Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi, who heads the Group of Ministers of GST Network made the announcement in Bengaluru. In the first phase, Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for new dealers. Afterwards, all those enrolled on GSTN would be asked to provide their Aadhaar numbers. As refunding is a big issue, the GSTN decided on complete online refunding from 24th September this year from a single source, either by the Central GST or state GST.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ in the Guardian Best 100 list: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur has become the only Indian film to feature in “The Guardian” list of 100 Best Films of the 21st century. The film has bagged the 59th position. The two film Gangs Of Wasseypur series was released in 2012 and narrated the saga of a coal mafia family in the town of Wasseypur in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. Both films were loved by the masses for their drama and rawness and acclaimed by the classes for cinematic aesthetics.

DEFENCE

1. First-ever ‘arrested landing’ of Naval Tejas successfully executed: DRDO and the Aeronautical Development Agency successfully executed the first-ever arrested landing of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas (Navy) at the shore-based test facility in Goa. This is a step towards the aircraft getting operational on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. This arrested landing heralds the arrival of true indigenous capability and displays the professional prowess of our scientific community Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) embedded with design plus build the capability of HAL (ARDC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

OBITUARIES

1. Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta passes away: Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta, who has movies like Iqbal, Ek Hasina Thi and Mardaani to his credit, passed away. He was an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and worked as an assistant to late editor Renu Saluja. His first big project was the 1998 film Bada Din.

2. Renowned writer of Kerala Sivaraman Cheriyanad passes away: The renowned writer of Kerala Sivaraman Cheriyanad passed away. He received the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award in 1988 and the A.P. Kalakkad Award in 2009. He bagged Kerala Sahithya Akademi scholarship in 1990-91 for his study on the works of writer Parappuram. He was a recipient of the National Teachers Award in 1989.

Daily GK Updates - 15th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Finance Minister announces New Measures to Boost Exports and Housing: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made few announcements to boost the Export Sector and Housing Sector. In total, she made 15 announcements, out of which 12 are for Export and 3 are for the housing sector. The key highlights of the announcement are listed below:

New Measures to Boost Exports: New Scheme for Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP)– It will replace the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS). Existing dispensation in textiles of MEIS + old ROSL will continue up to 31.12.2019. Annual mega shopping festivals– Annual mega shopping festivals in India will be organized in 4 places across 2020 March in 4 themes (Gems & Jewellery, Handicrafts/Yoga/Tourism, Textiles and Leather). Fully automated electronic refund route for Input Tax Credits (ITC) in GST. Time-bound adoption of mandatory Technical Standards. Affordable testing and certification infrastructure. Enable handicrafts industry to effectively harness e-commerce for exports

Measures to Boost Housing Sector: Special Window for affordable and middle income Housing to be setup. For the construction of unfinished units in Housing Sector, A Special Window to provide last mile funding for housing projects which are non- NPA and non-NCLT Projects and are Net worth positive in affordable and middle income category to be set up. Relaxation of ECB guidelines for Affordable Housing. House Building Advance- The interest rate on House Building Advance shall be lowered and linked with the 10 Year G Sec Yields.

2. Government sets-up new house committees: The Central Government has announced the formation of new house committees and appointed its members and chairpersons. The names of committee and the chairperson is listed below:

Committee on Defence– Jual Oram (BJP MP)

Parliamentary Committee on Finance– Jayant Sinha (BJP MP)

Committee on Information Technology– Shashi Tharoor (Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram)

Committee on External Affairs– PP Chaudhary (BJP Lok Sabha MP)

Committee on Commerce– V Vijayasai Reddy (YSR Congress Party MP)

Committee on Home Affairs– Anand Sharma (Congress Rajya Sabha MP)

3. Prakash Javadekar flags off ‘Jaldoot’ water conservation initiative: Prakash Javadekar, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting flagged off a vehicle named ‘Jaldoot’ to spread the message of water conservation in Pune. Jaldoot will travel across 8 districts in Maharashtra to create awareness related to water conservation and highlight work done in this connection by the Narendra Modi government.

4. Tata firm, Nelco, launches India’s first maritime broadband: VSAT solutions provider Nelco, a Tata enterprise, launched a maritime communication service, becoming India’s first company to provide broadband services to the maritime sector. The launch was done by Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad at Mumbai. Nelco through global partnerships, infrastructure including transponder capacity on satellite of ISRO Indian Space Research Organization) and a comprehensive service portfolio will help Energy, Cargo and Cruise vessels by enhancing operational efficiency, improving crew welfare and enabling customer services.

5. Multi-city international Ramayana Fest begins: The fifth edition of the International Ramayana Festival will be inaugurated in New Delhi by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It will be held between September 17-19. After the national capital, the festival will be held in Lucknow between September 20-22 and in Pune on September 21. It will also travel to the city of Ayodhya. Cultural groups from eight nations including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will stage musicals and plays based on the epic in New Delhi, Lucknow and Pune. The purpose of the festival, organised by ICCR is to explore cultural diplomacy through the Hindu epic, which is popular in several countries. Eight countries will take part in the event- Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Indonesia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bangladesh and Fiji.

6. National Engineer’s Day: September 15: Every year, since 1968, the Engineer’s Day is celebrated in India on September 15 to recognise the contribution of engineers’ in the development of the nation. Theme 2019: Engineering For Change. The day marks the birth anniversary of the engineering pioneer of India, Sir Mokshagundam Vishweshvaraya, popularly known as Sir MV. Famous as “Father of Modern Mysore”, Visvesvaraya was awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’ for his exceptional contribution to the building of India in 1955.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UNESCO to publish anthology of Guru Nanak Dev’s writing in world languages: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to translate and publish an anthology of the writings of Guru Nanak Dev in world languages to mark his 550th birth anniversary. The government is also holding a series of events and has initiated projects to mark 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. These include the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district in Punjab to the international border, the development of the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage town on the smart city principle, the upgradation of Sultanpur Lodhi railway station and release of commemorative coins and postage stamps.

2. UN chief appoints Indian Army veteran Abhijit Guha as head of Hodeidah mission: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Lieutenant General (Retired) Abhijit Guha as the head of the UN mission in Hodeidah, Yemen. Besides leading the UN Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Guha will also assume the chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), tasked with redeploying forces of the Yemeni warring parties in accordance with their agreement.

3. International Day of Democracy: September 15: The International Day of Democracy is celebrated globally on 15 September each year. It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy. The theme for 2019 International Day of Democracy is “Participation”.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Pankaj Advani wins IBSF World Billiards Championship to win his 22nd World Title: Pankaj Advani has won the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2019. This is the short format of billiards and Advani has won 5 titles in this is the last 6 years. With this win the total number of World Title won by Pankaj Advani is now 22.

2. Sourabh Verma wins Vietnam Open title (Badminton): Indian shuttler Sourabh Verma defeated Fei Xiang Sun of China 21-12, 17-21, 21-14 to win the Vietnam Open BWF Tour Super 100. The event was held at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Verma is from Madhya Pradesh and had won the Dutch Open and Korea Open last year.

3. Indian Shuttler Lakshya Sen Clinches Belgian International Challenge: In Badminton, Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen clinched men’s singles title at the Belgian International Challenge held at Leuven, Belgium. The 18-year-old Lakshya defeated second seed Victor Svendsen of Denmark in straight games, 21-14, 21-15. The YONEX BELGIAN INTERNATIONAL 2019 badminton tournament was held from 11 – 14 September.

4. Shuttler Kaushal Dharmamer wins Myanmar International Series: Indian shuttler Kaushal Dharmamer won the men’s singles title at the Myanmar International Series 2019 (Badminton).

He defeated Karono Karono of Indonesia. Kaushal Dharmamer is ranked 187th in the Badminton Ranking.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Army to conduct Exercise ‘HimVijay’ in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam: The Army will conduct the Exercise ‘HimVijay’ in October 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with its newly created Integrated Battle Groups (IBG). It will be conducted close to the borders of China. The Panagarh based 17 Mountain Strike Corps will conduct Exercise HimVijay spread over a month and half with three newly created IBGs. IBG was an idea by Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat.

Daily GK Updates - 14th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Centre to set up 12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness Centres: Union Government has set a target of setting up 12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness Centres across the country. Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy Minister Shripad Yesso Naik announced this during the inauguration of a Unani Medical Centre and Siddha Clinical Research Unit. Out of 12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness Centres, 4000 centres will be set up in 2019.

2. Rajasthan launches “Jan Soochna Portal-2019”: Rajasthan has launched “Jan Soochna Portal-2019” a public information portal to provide information about government authorities and departments to the public in the true spirit of the Right to Information Act. The portal ensures compliance with Section 4(2) of the RTI Act mandating the public authorities to disclose information in the public domain. The State government has collaborated with the civil society groups to develop the portal, presently giving information pertaining to 13 departments on a single platform. The portal empowers the common people with access to useful information.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

3. NGT constitutes committee to cease illegal groundwater extraction: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set up a committee to formulate steps required to prevent the illegal extraction of groundwater. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the committee to evolve a robust mechanism to ensure that groundwater is not illegally extracted. He also directed to monitor the manning and functioning of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). The committee comprises joint secretaries of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), Central Ground Water Board, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, National Remote Sensing Centre and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

4. Railway ministry signs MoU with CII: The Railway Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for evaluating the green initiatives and rate the performance of its industrial units pursuing environmentally sustainable practices. The MoU was signed for Green Business Centre (GBC) of CII to extend technical co-operation for various green initiatives. It has developed a GreenCo Rating system to evaluate the various steps and rate them. GBC will also assess and certify 3 industrial units of the Railways and organise studies on energy efficiency.

Note: Union Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal.

5. Home Minister inaugurates e-Saral Vakya Kosh app: Union Home Minister Amit Shah lit the lamp and inaugurated the Hindi Diwas celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan of New Delhi. On this occasion, he also inaugurated the e-Saral Vakya Kosh App and e-Saral Maha Shabda Kosh App. Home Minister also inaugurated the Rajbhasha website. Home Minister Amit Shah felicitated Raj Bhasha Keerti and Raj Bhasha Gaurav Awards to various organizations for their excellent performance in promoting Hindi language.

6. Arunachal Pradesh CM dedicates Dikshi Hydroelectric Project to people of state: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu dedicated the Dikshi Hydroelectric Project to the people of the state. The 24 Mega Watt Hydroelectric Project has been installed at Dikshi Village in West Kameng District. It is a Run-of-the-River project constructed on the river Phudung by Devi Energies Private Limited. It was completed in a record time of four years with an investment of about 430 crore rupees. The government of Arunachal Pradesh is the sole beneficiary of the power generation from this project. The State Govt will be getting 10% as free power from the 2nd year of its operation.

7. Kapil Dev appointed as chancellor of Rai Sports University: The Haryana Government has appointed cricket legend Kapil Dev as the first Chancellor of Sports University, Rai (Sonepat). The Haryana Assembly recently established Haryana’s first sports university at Rai. Kapil Dev was the captain of India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team.

Note: Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar; Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya.

8. Hindi Divas: 14 September: The National Hindi Divas is being observed on 14th September every year across the country. In 1949, on this day the Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi written in Devanagari script as the official language of the country. On Hindi Divas 2019 Union Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Amit Shah presents Rajbhasha Awards to chiefs of various departments, Ministries, and offices for their outstanding performances in promoting the language. On eve of Hindi Divas, International Hindi Conference was also organized by World Hindi Council in New Delhi. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha was the chief guest for the ceremony. Hindi lovers from 6 countries including Mauritius, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka attended this two-day-long International Hindi Conference. Rajbhasha Hindi, spoken by around 40 percent people across the country, is the single largest spoken language among the 22 languages in the sixth schedule of the constitution.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India ranked 79th in Global Economic Freedom index; Top- Hong Kong: India has been ranked at 79 place in the Global Economic Freedom index 2019 published by FRASER Institute. Hong Kong is at top position followed by Singapore on 2nd. The next highest scoring nations are New Zealand, Switzerland, United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Mauritius. Iraq is ranked last.

2. World First Aid Day: 14 September: The World First Aid Day is observed every year on the second Saturday of September to create awareness about importance of first aid on health.

In 2019, World First Aid Day is being held on 14 September, 2019. The day was started by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 2000 to educate people in the world of the benefits of first aid, need of first aid and the right way to do first aid.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Andrew Strauss becomes chairman of ECB’s cricket committee: Former England captain Andrew Strauss has been appointed as the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s cricket committee. As a chairman, Strauss will monitor all levels of cricket in England and Wales to ensure a “thriving professional game at the heart of the sport”. Andrew Strauss played 100 tests for England from 2004-12, scoring more than 7,000 runs at an average of 40.91, and captained the team to two Ashes series wins. He also served as England’s director of cricket between 2015 and 2018.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Payments banks may be allowed to convert into small finance banks: Reserve Bank of India comes out with draft norms for ‘on-tap’ licensing of Small Finance Banks. The RBI may allow existing payments banks to convert into small finance banks (SFBs) if they meet the eligibility criteria, according to the RBI’s draft guidelines for ‘on-tap’ licensing for SFBs. In the draft guidelines for SFBs, the RBI has proposed doubling the minimum paid-up equity capital to ₹200 crore and lowering the promoter’s stake to 15 percent in 15 years. To encourage urban co-operative banks (UCBs) to convert into SFBs, the RBI has pegged the minimum net worth lower at ₹100 crore from the date of commencement of business.

2. Retail inflation inches up marginally to 3.21 pc in August: According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation data, Retail inflation inched up marginally to 3.21% in August this year (in July- 3.15%). The rate of price rise in the food basket was 2.99% in August, up from 2.36% in the previous month. As per the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, the CPI-based inflation was 3.69% in August 2018. The inflation number still remains within the Reserve Bank's comfort level.

3. World Bank to sanction Rs 3,000 crore for food parks: The World Bank will provide Rs 3,000 crore assistance to finance mini and mega food parks across India. The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries during the 15th Indo-US Economic Summit. The 15th Indo-US Economic Summit was organized by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce-North India Council (IACC-NIC) in New Delhi.

Note: President of World Bank: David Malpass; Headquarters: Washington DC, USA.

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries: Rameswar Teli.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Five Indian women police officers honoured by UN: Five Indian women police officers were honoured by the United Nations for their commendable services in the world body’s mission in South Sudan. The women officers who were conferred the UN medal were

Reena Yadav (Inspector Chandigarh Police)

Gopika Jahagirdar (DSP, Maharashtra Police)

Bharati Samantray (DSP, Ministry of Home Affairs)

Ragini Kumari (Inspector, Ministry of Home Affairs)

Kamal Shekhawat (ASP, Rajasthan Police)

The women officers were honoured by the United Nation for upholding the UN mandate of protection of civilians in conflict-ridden South Sudan. The women officers are engaged in community policing, administrative, operational duties and capacity the building of local authorities.

DEFENCE

1. DAC approves Capital Procurement of Rs 2,000 crores: The Defence Acquisition Council accorded approval for Capital Procurement for the Services amounting to approximately Rs 2,000 crores. The decision was taken during the Defence Acquisition Council meeting held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh. Focussing on the ‘Make in India’ initiative, DAC granted: The approval for indigenous development and production of the main gun 125mm Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding-Sabot (APFSDS) ammunition for T-72/T-90 tanks by the Indian Industry. Approved procurement of DRDO developed and Industry manufactured Mechanical Mine Layer (Self Propelled) to improve automated minelaying capability with the Indian Army.

2. White Water Rafting Expedition- 'Rudrashila' Flagged off at Jaisalmer: The white water Rafting Expedition christened 'RUDRASHILA' being undertaken by Kalidhar Battalion under the aegis of Battle Axe Division was Flagged Off at Jaisalmer Military station. The expedition 'Rudrashila' has been organized to commemorate the 75th Raising day of the Kalidhar Battalion. 'Rudrashila' takes its name from the famed Rudraprayag tributary of the Ganges River in the Mountains of Uttarakhand. The expedition will be conducted from 01 October to 04 October 2019.

OBITUARIES

1. Former bureaucrat B.N. Yugandhar passes away: Former bureaucrat and Secretary to the PMO, B.N. Yugandhar passed away. He served as Secretary to the PMO between May 1995 and March 1997 during former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao’s term. He also served in the Ministry of Rural Development from March 1993 to May 1995. B.N. Yugandhar was the father of Microsoft’s present Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella.