Daily GK Updates - 4th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nationwide ‘Paryatan Parv 2019’ to promote tourism kicks off: The nationwide Paryatan Parv, 2019 kicked off to promote tourism in the country. The aim is to propagate the message of Dekho Apna Desh to encourage people to visit tourist destinations of the country and also spread the message of Tourism for All. This year’s event is dedicated to 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

2. Tourism Ministry launches App “Audio Odigos” for 12 sites of India: Tourism Ministry has launched the Audio Guide facility “Audio Odigos” for 12 sites of India (including Iconic Sites) on the occasion of “Paryatan Parv 2019”.

Audio Guide: Audio Odigos, offers Government of India verified content, with visuals & voice over support. With Audio Odigos, tourists will now enjoy a more enriching experience and take back historical insights into the Indian culture and heritage. The Audio Odigos app contains an inbuilt map of the site for a smooth navigation during the tour. Listeners will be offered various versions of history like Synopsis, Detailed History and Podcasts. The audio can be chosen in their preferred language & version of history.

Note: Minister of State (I/C) of Tourism Ministery: Prahalad Singh Patel.

3. Meghalaya govt. signed agreement with Dalmia Cement:  The Meghalaya state government signed an agreement with Dalmia Cement a cement company, to make the state plastic-free by 2022. The objective of this agreement is to turn plastic waste into fuel for their cement plants and at the same time ensure that all the environmental standards are maintained. The agreement was signed during an official programme in Shillong to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Note: Meghalaya Capital: Shillong; Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma; Governor: Tathagata Roy

4. IRCTC to compensate passengers on delay of Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express: Passengers of IRCTC’s Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will be compensated in case of delays, the Railway subsidiary, announcing a first of its kind offer from any national carrier. An amount of Rs 100 will be paid in case the delay is for over an hour and Rs 250 for delays of over two hours. This latest offer is in addition to the Rs 25 lakh free insurance that will be given to passengers of the train. This travel insurance also includes coverage of Rs 1 lakh against household theft and robbery during travel period of the passengers, again a first for those travelling onboard trains.

5. India’s first private train Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express flagged off: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off country’s first private train Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express started its maiden journey from Lucknow. It will be the first train of Indian Railways that will be entirely run by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The new Tejas Express will cover the distance between Delhi and Lucknow in six hours fifteen minutes. All passengers travelling by Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will be provided free insurance of up to ₹25 lakh by IRCTC.

6. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative: Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik rolled out ‘Mo Sarkar’ programme which finds its roots in the Gandhian philosophy of giving people their voice in daily governance. The objective of ‘Mo Sarkar’ is to improve governance by collecting feedback on behaviour and professionalism displayed by the Government officers. “Mo Sarkar’ programme has been launched in 21 district headquarters hospitals and medical colleges at Cuttack, Sambalpur and Berhampur.

7. Uttarakhand CM launches awareness campaign ‘Urjagiri’ to stop power theft: Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat launched an awareness campaign “Urjagiri” which aims at stopping power theft and saving. The Chief Minister emphasised on the need to speed up the process for wider awareness to avoid power loss in Uttarakhand.

8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declares India open defecation-free: On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared India as Open Defecation Free (ODF). On 02nd October, the 'Swachh Bharat Divas' program was organized in Sabarmati, Ahmedabad where PM Modi announced the country to be open defecation free. During the event, the PM Modi released commemorative Rs 150 coins on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The status of Open Defecation Free (ODF) was achieved by India through the massive sanitation programme, Swachh Bharat Mission, under which, crores of toilets were built especially in poor households.

Note: Open defecation means defecating outside in the open environment and not in a designated toilet.

9. Sushil Chandra appointed as MD & CEO of Oil India Limited: Oil India Limited has appointed Sushil Chandra Mishra as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company. He will replace Utpal Bora. Sushil Chandra Mishra started his professional journey as an executive trainee with OIL in 1984 and developed deep expertise in commercial matters. He also played a key role in framing and implementing procurement policies and procedures for inventory management, vendor development, framework agreement and its related strategies.

10. Tata Communications names Amur Lakshminarayanan as its MD and CEO: Digital infrastructure provider, Tata Communications has named Amur S Lakshminarayanan as Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer designate of the company. He comes with 35 years of experience in a broad range of leadership roles across industries and regions across the world. Prior to this appointment, Lakshminarayanan was President and CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Japan, Ltd. He also worked in the company as Global Head of Telecom, Media and Information Services, HiTech and Utilities, and Head of TCS UK (United Kingdom) and Europe.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM of India & Mauritius jointly inaugurated projects in Mauritius: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated 2 landmark projects in Mauritius via video conference. The 2 projects includes the phase-1 of the Metro Express and a new ENT Hospital. The Indian Government has granted $275 million for the Metro Express project and a grant of $14 million for the new Hospital Project. The grant was awarded as a special economic package for assisting five high-priority projects, which include the Metro Express project and a new ENT hospital.

2. Amrit Lugun appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Greece: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India was appointed Amrit Lugun as the next Ambassador of India to Greece. He is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1989 batch. He will replace Shamma Jain.

Note: Capital of Greece: Athens; Currency of Greece: Euro.

3. Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Niue: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India notified that Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Niue, with residence in Wellington, New Zealand. He is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1991 batch presently working as a High Commissioner of India to New Zealand. He will replace Sanjiv Kohli.

Note: Capital of Niue: Alofi; Currency: Niue dollar, New Zealand dollar.

4. Singapore is the world's smartest city: IMD Smart City Index:  According to the IMD Smart City Index, Singapore is the smartest city in the world. The first edition of the IMD Smart City Index 2019 ranks 102 cities worldwide. Zurich ranked second and Oslo is the third smartest city in the world. The other smartest cities in the list are Geneva (4th), Copenhagen (5th), Auckland (6th), Taipei City (7th), Helsinki (8th), Bilbao (9th) and Dusseldorf (10th). Indian city Hyderbad ranked 67 in the list, while the capital of India, New Delhi is the 68th smart city in the world. On the other hand, Mumbai is the 78th and Bengaluru is the 79th smart city in the world.

Note: The SCI is released by the IMD World Competitiveness Center’s Smart City Observatory, in partnership with Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). The index assesses a city’s efforts and success in embracing smart technologies to improve the lives of its citizens, thus being able to rate each city on a certain level of ‘smartness’.

5. Global Firepower Index: Indian military strongest in South Asia: In the Global Firepower's 2019 Military Strength Ranking, the Indian military has been ranked as the strongest military power in South Asia. While Pakistan has been ranked second and Bangladesh is ranked the third most powerful military power in South Asia. In the world ranking, the United States has topped the list, followed by Russia, and China. India has been ranked in 4th position, Pakistan at 15th, Myanmar at 37th, Afghanistan at 74th, Sri Lanka at 90th, Nepal at 120th, and Bhutan has been ranked at 137th- a least strong country in the world, as per the index. The military strengths of 137 countries in total have been considered in the GFP.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Abdul Quadir Khan Wins Silver Medal in Asian Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2019: Maj Abdul Quadir Khan of the Corps of Signals has won the Silver medal at the 53rd Asian Body Building and Physique Sports Championship held at Batam, Indonesia. His accomplishment in the sport has brought glory to the Indian Army and Corps of Signals.

2. India gets its first-ever floating basketball court in Mumbai: The National Basketball Association installed India's first-ever floating basketball court in Mumbai. The basketball court set up in the Arabian Sea near the Bandra-Worli Sealink. India’s first NBA Game to be held in October. The first NBA game is scheduled to host from October 4 to October 5 in the SVP Stadium at Dome, NSCI, in Mumbai. The matches will be played under the Reliance Foundation Junior NBA program. Under this, the match will be played between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers.

3. NBCC sign MoU with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to provide project management consultancy for the development of National Sports University at Imphal, Manipur. NBCC has bagged a Rs 400-crore contract to develop National Sports University.

Note: Manipur Capital: Imphal; CM: N. Biren Singh; Governor: Padmanabha Balkrishna Acharya.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI Fourth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Review 2019-20: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy review reduced the policy repo rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 5.15 percent from 5.40 percent with immediate effect. The MPC on its 4th bimonthly meeting has also decided to continue with an accommodative stance as long as it is necessary to revive growth while ensuring that inflation remains within the target. The key highlights of the bi-monthly monetary policy review is as follows:

The Repo Rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) reduced by 25 basis points to 5.15 percent from 5.40 percent with immediate effect.

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands reduced to 4.90 percent.

The Bank Rate and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate are reduced to 5.40 percent.

Reserve Bank of India has also reduced the Real GDP Growth for 2019-20 from 6.9% to 6.1%.

The RBI kept reserved rates such as CRR and SLR unchanged at 4 percent and 18.75% percent respectively.

The RBI also retains retail inflation projection for the second half of year at 3.5-3.7%

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Kyrgyz human rights lawyer wins UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award: Azizbek Ashurov, A Kyrgyz human rights lawyer whose work has supported the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic in becoming the first country in the world to end statelessness has been selected as the 2019 winner of the UN Refugee Agency’s Nansen Refugee Award. Azizbek Ashurov, through his organization Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders (FVLWB), has helped well over 10,000 people to gain Kyrgyz nationality after they became stateless following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Statelessness affects millions of people worldwide, depriving them of legal rights or basic services and leaving them politically and economically marginalized, discriminated against and particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

Note: UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award honours extraordinary service to the forcibly displaced. The award includes a commemorative medal and a US $150,000 monetary prize generously donated by the governments of Switzerland and Norway. In close consultation with UNHCR, the laureate uses the monetary prize to fund a project that complements their existing work.

UNHCR Founded: 14 December 1950; Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

2. Ben Stokes named PCA player of the year: England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been voted Professional Cricketers’ Association player of the year at the Professional Cricketers’ Association awards. All-rounder Stokes played a starring role in England’s maiden World Cup win before repeating his heroics to help salvage an Ashes draw with Australia. Tom Banton of Somerset picked up the PCA young player of the year, while England bowler Sophie Ecclestone collected the women’s player of the summer award. The 50th NatWest PCA Awards were held at the Roundhouse in Camden.

OBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri awardee HL Trivedi passes away: Renowned kidney transplant surgeon and Padma Shri recipient Dr H L Trivedi passed away. He was as an expert in handling kidney transplant surgeries and was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2015 for his contribution to the society as a nephrologist. He also established dialysis centre network in district hospitals across Gujarat with the help of the state government.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chhattisgarh Government Launched 5 New Schemes: Chhattisgarh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched 5 new schemes namely Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyaan, Mukhyamantri Haat Bazaar Clinic Yojana, Mukhyamantri Shahariya Slum Swasthya Yojana, Universal PDS Scheme and Mukhyamantri Ward Karyalaya .

Under Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyaan (Chief Minister Nutrition Scheme), which was started as a pilot project in June 2019, fresh and nutritious food is provided to malnourished children and anaemic women with the help of panchayats and self-help groups.

Under the Mukhyamantri Haat Bazaar Clinic Yojana (Chief Minister Market Clinic Scheme), mobile teams of health department along with doctors and necessary equipment will visit local haat-bazaars to provide health facilities in remote tribal and forest areas of the state.

Under Mukhyamantri Shahariya Slum Swasthya Yojana (Chief Minister Urban Slum Health Scheme), mobile medical team along with available health facilities will cater to health care needs of over 7 lakh 80 thousand people. Initially 3 mobile medical teams will be deployed in Raipur, 2 each in Bhilai and Korba and one each in other municipalities.

Under the Universal PDS (Public Distribution System) scheme, general category families (taxpayers and non-taxpayers) are eligible for food grains. Families with single member will be eligible for 10 kg of rice per month, a family of 2 members will get 20 kg of rice per month and family of 3 and more than 3 members will get 35 kg of rice per month at a cost of Rs 10 per kg.

Under Mukhyamantri Ward Karyalayas (Chief Minister Ward Offices), city people will be provided immediate availability of citizen services and facilities according to their demands.

Note: Chhattisgarh capital: Raipur; Governor: Anusuiya Uikey

2. J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik gives assent to National Law University Bill 2019: The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Satya Pal Malik has given assent to the Jammu and Kashmir National Law University Bill 2019 for establishing a National Law University in the J&K, which will help disseminate knowledge about law and legal processes and promote legal awareness to achieve political, social and economic justice. Jammu and Kashmir National Law University Act enactment will bring the state at par with other states where such universities have been established.

Note: J&K Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer); Governor: Satya Pal Malik

It is a proposed union territory (UT) of India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent (Proposed from 31 October 2019).

3. Home Minister Amit Shah flags off Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on 3rd October, flagged off the Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express from the New Delhi Railway Station to Katra in Jammu. Train number 22439 New Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express will depart from the New Delhi Railway Station at 6 am to reach Katra at 2 pm. En route, the train will halt at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi for two minutes each. On the return journey the same day, train number 22440 Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express will leave from the Katra Railway Station at 3 pm to reach the New Delhi Railway Station at 11 pm. The first commercial run of the train will start from 5th October. This is the second Vande Bharat Express, the first runs between Delhi and Varanasi.

Railways Board chairman: Vinod Kumar Yadav.

4. Railway cleanliness survey 2019: Three railway stations of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Durgapura have topped the Railway Cleanliness Survey 2019, conducted at 720 railway stations by the Ministry of Railways. Mumbai’s Andheri, Virar and Naigaon stations have topped the total 109 stations in the category of suburban stations. Among the railway divisions, North Western Railway stood at the top, South Eastern Railway at the second position and East Central Railway at the third position. Bottom ranking- Four stations of Southern Railway- Perungalathur, Guduvanchari, Singaperumalkoil, Ottapallam were at the bottom of the rankings. Most improved stations: Non-suburban stations Faizabad and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh have shown the most improvement from last year.

5. Consumer Affairs Minister launched ‘Consumer App’ in New Delhi: The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan launched a ‘Consumer App’ in New Delhi in order to redress public grievances and provide valuable solutions on consumer-related issues. The app, which strengthens ‘digital India’ objectives, provides a one-stop solution to the consumer grievances via mobile devices. A consumer can sign up with an OTP (one-time password) and create a user ID and password for its usage. The app has a built-in feature of tracking the lodged grievances. Other various important links to get information pertaining to 42 sectors are also made available in the app which can be used in Hindi and English. The app is available in android and IoS platforms and could be downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple Store respectively.

6. PK Gupta appointed as Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of NBCC: As per the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Government of India (GoI), PK Gupta has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NBCC (National Buildings Construction Corporation) Limited till September 30, 2023. He succeeds in Shri Shiv Das Meena. Prior to this appointment, Gupta serving as Executive Director of engineering services company RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) Limited.

7. A new book titled “The Tech Whisperer” penned by Jaspreet Bindra released: A new book entitled “The Tech Whisperer”, written by digital transformation expert Jaspreet Bindra, features a chapter on AI (Artificial Intelligence). The book has been published by Penguin India. The book will describes and simplify “emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, Internet of things, virtual reality,” and talk about how companies can employ these to drive their digital transformation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is organizing India Economic Summit (IES) in New Delhi: The World Economic Forum (WEF) is organizing a two-day India Economic Summit (IES) from 3rd - 4th October 2019 in New Delhi. The summit is being hosted in collaboration with Industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The summit will have special focus on collaboration with South Asia and ASEAN countries. The summit will be co-chair by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheiikh Hasina along with Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

2. International conference on drug situation held in Imphal, Manipur: A 2- day “Regional Conference on Developing a Comprehensive Approach: Combating Illicit Trafficking of Afghan Opiates and Drug Situation in the Northeast (NE)” held in Imphal, Manipur. Manipur Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh was the chief guest for the event. The event is the continuation of the earlier conference held at Chandigarh in Punjab in 2018. The conference has been organized by the Manipur State Government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office, South Asia (UNODC-ROSA). The conference discussed the increasing cases of illicit drug trafficking in the NE region and recommended 8 key measures, which will be shared and finalized. Partakers: Representatives from Southeast Asian countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended the event.

Note: Manipur Capital: Imphal; Governor: Najma Heptulla; Chief minister: N. Biren Singh

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Former Indian cricketer, Kapil Dev resigned as chairman of CAC: Following a conflict of interest complaint, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning cricket team captain, Kapil Dev has resigned as the chairman of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) days after Shanta Rangaswamy stepped down from the 3-member committee. The CAC made Ravi Shastri the head coach of Team India. Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) member Sanjeev Gupta filed a complaint against the CAC, where the coach-elect committee members are playing multiple roles simultaneously. Kapil Dev, along with being the head of CAC, is a commentator, owner of a Floodlight company and a member of the Indian Cricketers Association. Gaikwad, on the other hand, is a BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)-accredited committee member besides owning an academy.

President of BCCI: C.K. Khanna; Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Bank of Baroda signs MoU with Indian Army for customised services: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army under which the bank would offer customised services along with a host of facilities to account holders. The MoU includes handsome free personal accident insurance cover, free air accident insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh and an overdraft facility up to three times of monthly net salary. The features are also applicable for pensioners of Indian Army up to the age of 70 years.

Note: Managing Director & CEO of BOB: P S Jayakumar; Headquarters: Baroda, Gujarat.

2. CBDT launches unique DIN for taxpayers: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) launched a computer-generated Unique Document Identification Number (DIN) to ensure greater transparency and accountability in tax administration for taxpayers. It was created as per the direction of Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance and was made operative from October 1, 2019. It is applicable to all kinds of communications from the income tax department related to assessment, appeals, investigation, penalty, and rectification among other things.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Mahindra & Mahindra formed Joint venture with Ford: Indian multinational car manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) formed a Joint Venture (JV) with Ford Motor Company (FMC) worth Rs 1925 crore after it bought a 51% stake in the Indian unit of the United States’ Ford, thus will be managing Ford’s Indian Operations. Now, Mahindra has the access to Ford’s India production facilities at its Chennai and the Sanand, Gujarat plants. M&M acquired 51% equity share capital of Ardour Automotive, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford in India, thus leading to a JV with Ford. The transaction will be completed by the mid of 2020 and the equity value is likely to be Rs 657 crore.

Note: M&M Established: 1945; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Parent organization: Mahindra Group; Chief Executive Officer: Anand Mahindra

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Sachin Tendulkar honored with Swachhata Ambassador Award: On the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the President Ram Nath Kovind honoured veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with the most effective Swachchta Ambassador Award. The award was presented to the master blaster Sachin for utilizing his popularity and fame to ensure India achieves its goal of a Swachh Bharat. The award was presented during the India Today Safaigiri Summit in New Delhi.

Note: In 2014, Sachin Tendulkar was honoured with Bharat Ratna becoming the youngest recipient of the highest civilian award in the country.

2. President Kovind to confer Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019: President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019 on the eminent senior citizens and institutions in recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons. The Vayoshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of awards instituted by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and gradually upgraded to the status of National Awards for institutions involved in rendering distinguished service for the cause of elderly persons.

3. President Kovind to confer Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019: President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019 on the eminent senior citizens and institutions in recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons. The Vayoshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of awards instituted by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and gradually upgraded to the status of National Awards for institutions involved in rendering distinguished service for the cause of elderly persons.

OBITUARIES

1. Doyen of nutrition research Dr. Colathur Gopalan passes away: The doyen of nutrition research in India, Colathur Gopalan (100), passed away in Chennai. Gopalan was a recipient of the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan. Dr Gopalan held eminent positions, including being the Director of the National Institute of a Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, and the Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) from 1973-79. As an institution builder, he helped to set up three national institutes for research in Malaria, Leprosy and Vector Control Research.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was observed: On 2nd October, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated across the country. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. On this occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to him at Rajghat, the memorial site of the Father of the Nation. Various programs are organized in schools and offices across the country on the occasion of Bapu's birthday. Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948

2. 115th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri observed: On 2nd October, 115th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India was celebrated all across the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2 October 1904 in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh. Under Shastri's leadership, India won the 1965 war against Pakistan. Lal Bahadur Shastri died of a third cardiac arrest on 11 January 1966 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award posthumously in 1966. A memorial "Vijay Ghat" was built for him in Delhi. He gave the nation the powerful slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan to enthuse soldiers and farmers.

3. Inauguration of world’s largest plastic made charkha: Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Textile Mrs Smriti Irani inaugurated a 1,650-kg ‘charkha’ (spinning wheel) made of plastic waste, the world’s largest, near the Mahamaya flyover in Sector 94, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This ‘charkha’ (spinning wheel) made of used plastic waste was inaugurated the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. The ‘charkha’, which symbolises Gandhi’s dream of Swadeshi (self-sufficing and self-reliance), measures 14ft, 20ft and 8ft and is made of 1,250 kg of used plastic.

4. A 2-Day National Workshop ‘Arogya Manthan’ Held in New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated a 2-day national workshop ‘Arogya Manthan’ in New Delhi which was held on September 30- October 1, 2019. It was organised by the National Health Authority (NHA) to mark the first anniversary of Ayushman Bharat (AB)- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), which was launched on September 23, 2018 at Ranchi, Jharkhand by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

5. Telangana becomes fully electrified state in India: Telangana became one the fully electrified states in India after providing 100% electricity coverage to over 5 lakh 15 thousand households, especially those in the remote areas under the Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Soubhagya). Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) is the nodal agency for the scheme.

Note: Soubhagya scheme: It is an Indian government project to provide electricity to all households. The project was announced in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

6. Rajasthan becomes the third state to ban certain categories of pan masala: Rajasthan became the third state in India after Maharashtra and Bihar to ban certain categories of pan masala containing magnesium carbonate, nicotine, tobacco, mineral oil and flavoured ‘supari’. All such products will now be banned in the State under the Food Safety Act.

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

7. Srikant Baldi took over as Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh: An IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer of the 1985 batch, Srikant Baldi has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh. He succeeds B K Agarwal , who joined his new posting as Secretary to Lokpal in the rank of Secretary to the government of India (GoI). Baldi currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur. He will also continue to hold the charge of housing, tourism and civil aviation department in addition to his own duties.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla; Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya

8. Rajiva Sinha took over as the new chief secretary of West Bengal: Rajiva Sinha took over as the new Chief Secretary of West Bengal succeeding incumbent Malay Kumar De. Rajiva Sinha who previously served as the additional chief secretary to the health and family welfare department of the state, also served in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Note: West Bengal Capital: Kolkata; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

9. Abhishek Singh was appointed as the chief executive officer of MyGov India: Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Abhishek Singh was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the government’s citizen-centric online platform MyGov India. He replaces tech entrepreneur Arvind Gupta, whose tenure ended recently in July 2019. He currently serves as the Secretary (Joint Secretary level), in Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi assigned additional charge of the post of Secretary, ASRB to Vivek Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IAS officer, who is the current Joint Secretary in the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.

10. Book titled ‘The RSS: Roadmaps for the 21st Century’, written by Sunil Ambekar released: The book titled ‘The RSS: Roadmaps for 21st Century’, written by Sunil Ambekar, the organising national secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), was released in New Delhi by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. It is published by Rupa Books. It describes the challenges of 21st century social, cultural life and lists the RSS’ response to the same.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Palestine issues commemorative stamp to honour Gandhi on 150th birth anniversary: Palestine has released a commemorative postage stamp on Mahatma Gandhi, honouring his legacy and values, to mark the 150 birth anniversary of the world leader. Palestinian Authority’s Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Ishaaq Seder released the stamp in Ramallah. Palestine’s issuance of the commemorative stamp comes in honour of Gandhi’s memory, legacy, and values that guided and shall continue to guide humanity.

2. China unveiled DF-41 the most powerful intercontinental-range ballistic missile on the planet: On the 70th National Day of China which was observed on October 1, 2019, it launched DF-41 (Dongfeng-41) the most powerful intercontinental-range ballistic missile on the planet during the National Day parade at Chang’an Avenue in Beijing. It made its first appearance along with a clutch of new military hardware.

Note: DF-41 has a range of up to 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometres), capable of carrying 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads and flying at 25 times the speed of sound, could theoretically, hit the United States in 30 minutes.

China Capital: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi

3. Surjit Bhalla appointed as the Executive Director for India at IMF: The government has appointed economist Surjit S Bhalla as the Executive Director (ED) for India on the board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Surjit succeeds former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Subir Gokarn, who passed away recently in July 2019 due to illness. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Bhalla as the ED for three-year tenure. Surjit resigned as a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) in December 2018. He will join the IMF’s Executive Board that comprises 24 directors and is responsible for conducting the day-to-day business of the multilateral institution.

About IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C.,United States(US); Managing Director (MD) and Chairman: Kristalina Georgieva; Chief economist: Gita Gopinath.

4. Book by Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands released: A book written by Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony titled 'India and the Netherlands - Past, Present and Future,' was released in Amsterdam, Netherlands during a seminar on the Indo-Dutch bilateral relations. The book gives an insight into the cross-cultural legacy between the two countries and was released at a function attended by the king and queen of the Netherlands. The seminar, jointly organized by the Embassy of India and the Royal Asian Art Society, was held at the Rijksmuseum (National Museum), Amsterdam. The first copy of the book was received by Dutch King Willem-Alexander in presence of all high officials. The book has been published by Bombay Ink.

Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam, Currency: Euro and USD.

5. International Day of Non-Violence: 2nd October: The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October every year on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. According to the UN General Assembly, which established the commemoration, International Day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Aryna Sabalenka won the women’s singles title in the 6th edition of WTA Wuhan Open 2019: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka won women’s singles title in the 6th edition of 2019 WTA Wuhan Open (WTA-Women’s Tennis Association) by defeating America’s Alison Riske, at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center in Wuhan, China. The prize money of the tournamnet was $2,828,000. By this win, Aryna became the first player to claim back-to-back titles in Wuhan and also joins Czech player Petra Kvitova as the only two-time Wuhan Open champion. China’s Duan Yingying and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova won the women’s doubles title by defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens and ArynaSabalenka in the final. Duan Yingying became the first Chinese winner of the Wuhan Open.

2. PV Sindhu slips to number 6th, Kashyap rises to 25th position: BWF Rankings 2019: As per the recently released BWF (Badminton World Federation) Rankings 2019, World Champion women’s shuttler PV Sindhu (24) has slipped a rank to 6th due to poor performance in the last two weeks but Parupalli Kashyap (33) has benefited from a good performance and reached 25th position. Sindhu, who was earlier in the fifth position, had eliminated in the first round of the 2019 China Open (held in Changzhou, China) and 2019 Korea Open (held in Incheon, South Korea). While Kashyap has the advantage of reaching the semi-finals of Korea Open. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag remain 12th in men’s doubles while Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy moved up one place to 19th in women’s doubles.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Pune headquartered Bajaj Finance overtook SBI in market capitalization: Bajaj Finance Ltd based at Pune, Maharashtra, has surpassed India’s largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI) for the first time, in terms of market capitalization. The market capital of Bajaj Finance stood at Rs 2.32 lakh crore while it was Rs 2.28 lakh crore for SBI.

2. Axis Bank launches digital Fixed Deposit product called ‘Express FD’: Axis Bank, the third-largest of the private-sector banks in India has launched digital fixed-deposit (FD) product named ‘Express FD’, which can be opened in three minutes through the digital route without opening a savings account by investing a minimum Rs 5,000 up to Rs 90,000, for a tenure of 6 to 12 months. The new Express FD account offers attractive interest rates, zero issuance fees and no penalty on premature withdrawal (up to 25% of the amount).

Note: Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Chairman of Axis Bank: Rakesh Makhija; MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry

3. Star health insurance join hands with Paytm to sell comprehensive health insurance solutions: Indian life insurance provider, Star Health Insurance has joined hands with Paytm, an Indian e-commerce payment system to offer comprehensive life insurance products. As per this partnership, Paytm will distribute Star Health Insurance products to its customers. The product portfolio comprises Health Insurance, Overseas Mediclaim Policy and Personal Accident propositions.

Note: Paytm: Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh; CEO and MD: Pravin Jadhav

Star health insurance Headquarters: Chennai,Tamil Nadu; Chairman cum Managing Director: Mr. V. Jagannathan

4. S. Mallikarjuna Rao is appointed as the new MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive of the Punjab National Bank(PNB).  Currently serving as chief executive of the Allahabad Bank, Rao will replace Sunil Mehta of PNB and will head the Delhi based bank till September 18, 2021. PNB is currently under a three-way amalgamation process with the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and the United Bank of India.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. WTO cuts global trade growth forecast to 1.2% for 2019 from 2.6%: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) in its report reduced the global trade growth forecast to 1.2% for 2019 from 2.6% growth forecast made in April 2019 due to trade tensions and sluggish global economy. It is the weakest level in a decade. The global trade growth forecast for 2020 was reduced to 2.7% from 3%. In August 2019, India’s exports dropped by 6.05% to USD 26.13 billion and Imports declined by 13.45% to USD 39.58 billion. The trade deficit stood at USD 13.45 billion.

Note: WTO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Director General: Roberto Azevêdo

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Writer Caroline criado perez wins Royal society science book prize 2019: A British feminist, activist and journalist, Caroline Criado Perez has won the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2019 (sponsored by Insight Investment) for her 2nd book ‘Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men’ at an awards ceremony at the Royal Society, London, United Kingdom (UK). She also received a cheque amounting £25,000. The Royal Society Science Book Prize is given to popular science writing across the world for non-specialist readers. It was instituted in 1988

DEFENCE

1. Air Marshal S K Ghotia takes over as chief of South Western Air Command: Air Marshal Surendra Kumar Ghotia took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-C) of South Western Air Command. He handed over the Command of Headquarters Training Command of Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru where he took over the command recently in May 2019. He succeeded Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora, who recently appointed as the new vice chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Sk Ghotia was presented with guard of honour before handing over his appointment. A formal sendoff was organised by all the personnel of Training Command.

OBITUARIES

1. Hollywood tycoon Eric Pleskow passed away: American-Austrian film producer Eric Pleskow, the Hollywood tycoon, passed away at the age of 95 in the United States (US) due to old age ailments. He was the president of the film company United Artists from 1973 to 1978 and then as co-founder of Orion Pictures where many films under these film companies won Oscar awards. Born in April 24, 1924, in Vienna, the capital of Austria, Eric’s famous films include ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, ‘Rocky’, ‘Amadeus’, ‘Platoon’, ‘Dances with Wolves’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs’.

Daily GK Updates - 1st October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajnath Singh launches a website of DefEXpo: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the website of 11th edition of DefEXpo, to be held in Lucknow (5th to 8th February 2020). The website ‘www.defexpo.gov.in’ provides online services to exhibitors, besides hosting informative content about the product profile of Defence Public Sector Undertakings and Ordnance Factories. Exhibitors can avail early bird discounts by booking space on the website before the 31st of next month. The website enables exhibitors to register and book space online as per their requirements on the first-come-first-serve basis, make online payments, book conference halls and venues for Business-to-Business meetings.

2. Kerala tops NITI Aayog’s School Education Quality Index: Kerala has topped the “School Education Quality Index” launched by NITI Aayog. Uttar Pradesh was ranked at the bottom of the list. Chandigarh has topped the list of Union Territories. The School Education Quality Index assesses States on the basis of learning outcomes, access, equity and infrastructure and facilities, using survey data, self-reported data from States and third-party verification. Tamil Nadu was the top performer in access and equity outcomes, while Karnataka led in learning outcomes. Haryana had the best infrastructure and facilities.

3. Gandhi Film Festival to be organised in Mumbai: Film Division in association with India Tourism will organise a “Gandhi Film Festival” in Mumbai from 2nd to 6th October, 2019. This film festival is a part of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary celebration and will focus on Gandhiji’s message of non-violence and Swachh Bharat. The select documentaries and feature films will be screened at the Films Division Complex, including: The Making of Mahatma, Gandhi, Gandhi My Father and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.

4. K S Dhatwalia appointed as chief spokesperson of govt: An Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia (1984-batch) has been appointed as the 28th principal spokesperson of the Union government. He has replaced Sitanshu Kar. Mr. Dhatwalia has been posted as the new principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the publicity wing of the central government. Currently, Mr Dhatwalia was serving as the Director-General (DG) Training and Research in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, besides holding the charge of the DG of the Indian Institute Mass Communication (IIMC).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of Older Persons: 1 October: The United Nations observes 1 October every year as International Day of Older Persons. The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world. 2019 Theme: ‘The Journey to Age Equality’. The theme focuses on pathways of coping with existing and preventing future old age inequalities.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Wilson-Satish pair wins gold at Asian Age Group Championships: India’s N. Wilson Singh and Satish Kumar Prahapati won the gold medal in the 10m platform synchronised diving event at the Asian Age Group Championships held in Bengaluru. The duo of Wilson and Satish scored 290.19 score to beat Uzbekistan’s Zaynetdinov Marsel and Khasanov Botir, who scored 280.53 points. Thus, India extended their total tally to 60 medals (17 gold, 23 silver and 20 bronze) in the prestigious championships, which is the largest aquatic event in Asia.  The bronze medal went to Mojtaba Valipour and Masood Vakili of Iran with a score of 266.16.

2. Fraser-Pryce wins World Championship 100m gold: Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won gold medal in 100m race of 2019 IAAF World Championships held in Doha. This was her 4th women’s 100 metres world title. She defeated Britain’s European champion Dina Asher-Smith who took silver medal while Marie-Josee Ta Lou finished 3rd.

3. Fencer Bhavani Devi wins silver medal at Tournoi satellite competition in Belgium: Indian fencer Bhavani Devi wins the silver medal in the women’s sabre individual event at the Tournoi satellite competition in Belgium. She lost 15-10 to Anna Bashta of Azerbaijan in the final.

Note: Capital of Belgium: Brussels; Currency of Belgium: Euro.

4. Annu Rani qualifies for Javelin Throw Final at World Athletics C’ships: Indian javelin thrower Annu Rani (27-years) has become the first Indian to qualify for Women's Javelin Throw final at World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. She smashed her own national record during the qualification round of the Championships with the best attempt of 62.43 metres. Annu Rani is the current national record holder, with a record of 62.34m in March 2019. Those who touch the automatic qualifying mark of 63.50m or 12 best performers from Group A and Group B taken together will qualify for the final round.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI appoints Jai Bhagwan Bhoria as administrator for PMC Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Jai Bhagwan Bhoria as the PMC bank's administrator with all powers of the board. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has superseded the Board of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Limited, Mumbai. According to an official release, the amount of withdrawal from the bank allowed to depositors has been increased from one thousand to ten thousand rupees. The RBI's directives will remain in force for a period of six months.

Note: As per RBI’s Notification, The PMC Bank was placed under All-Inclusive Directions on account of major financial irregularities, failure of internal control and systems of the bank and wrong/under-reporting of its exposures under various off-site Surveillance.

2. SBI becomes first Indian bank to have office in Australia’s Victoria: The State Bank of India opened its Melbourne office and becoming the first Indian bank to have a branch in the Australian state of Victoria. The Melbourne office will assist the growing trade and investment relations between Victoria and India and is the outcome of the state’s 10-year India Strategy. This investment by India’s largest commercial bank is a testament to our thriving financial services sector and our highly skilled workforce.

Note: SBI Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

3. RBI announces contests to promote innovations, ideas in payment: Reserve Bank of India has announced two contests to promote innovations and ideas in the payment and settlement systems. Shortlisted participants will get an opportunity to present their ideas before a jury of eminent persons while outstanding innovators will be awarded prizes and citations. The contest will be organised through the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad. While individuals, groups, entrepreneurs, companies, start-ups and similar entities can participate in ‘Payment and Settlement Systems Innovation Contest’, students at the undergraduate or above levels can participate in ‘Payment and Settlement Systems Innovative Ideas Competition’.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO test-fires BrahMos supersonic cruise missile: DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) successfully test-fired a land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Chandipur coast in Odisha’s Balasore district. BrahMos is the world’s fastest supersonic missile, which can fly at almost three times the speed of sound. It has been fitted with increased indigenous equipment and is a version used by the Army. On 11th March 2017, the first extended version of the missile was successfully tested.

Note: The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

OBITUARIES

1. INA veteran from Tamil Nadu V Ganesan passes away: Indian National Army (INA) veteran V Ganesan passed away. He joined Netaji’s INA at the age of 18 and received six months of military training in Singapore. While participating in the battle against the British Army in Myanmar, he was arrested and was imprisoned for 10 months in Yangon jail and was later repatriated to India. He was honoured by the President of India in 2012 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

2. Legendary Singer Jose Jose passes away: Legendary Mexican singer Jose Jose (71-years) passed away at a hospital in Florida. Jose Jose was often called ‘El Principe de la Cancion’ or ‘The Prince of Song’. His most successful album, Secretos was released in 1984. In a career of more than four-decade, the singer sold millions of albums and picked by 6 Grammy nominations.

3. Celebrated opera singer Jessye Norman passes away: Renowned international opera star Jessye Norman (74-years) passed away at New York hospital in the USA. She established herself in Europe in the 1970s and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1983. Norman earned many prestigious Kennedy Center Honor (in 1997), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 2006); a National Medal of Arts (in 2009) and France's Legion d'Honneur.