Daily GK Updates - 20th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ADB & India signs $490 Million loan to upgrade roads of Madhya Pradesh: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India has signed a $490 million loan. The loan is signed for public-private partnership (PPP) project through the hybrid-annuity model (HAM) to upgrade about 1,600 km of state highways and major district roads in the state of Madhya Pradesh. An additional $286 million investment will be mobilised through private sector participation under the PPP modality. The upgradation of these roads under the project will improve rural and peri-urban connectivity in the state and improve access to markets and better services.

Note: Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines, President: Takehiko Nakao.

2. 'OCTOPUS' inducted into Andhra CM's security cover: The security cover of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been strengthened with the induction of OCTOPUS (Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations), replacing the Greyhounds commandos. The Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations (OCTOPUS) is an elite force for counter-terror in the state. A team of 32 members divided into five teams would be part of the security.

3. Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana launched: Narendra Singh Tomar (Rural Development Minister) has launched Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in New Delhi to further enhance the connectivity of villages with hospitals, schools and agricultural markets. The Phase-III of PMGSY aims at consolidation of 1 lakh 25 thousand Kilometers through Routes and Major Rural Links that connect habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets, Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals with an estimated cost of 80 thousand 250 crore rupees for the period 2019-20 to 2024-25. The Central Share will be 53 thousand 800 crore rupees. The funding pattern for the scheme will be 60:40 between Centre and the States (for North East & Himalayan State 90:10).

4. Thawarchand Gehlot launches Braille version of ‘Exam Warriors’: Social Justice and Empowerment Minister released the Braille version of the book “Exam Warriors” written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The braille version in English and Hindi has been printed by Rajasthan Netraheen Kalyan Sangh in Jaipur. The book contains a detailed-design of the animated picture and various yoga asanas which will let students imagine the pictorial graphics with ease. The book will surely benefit visually-impaired students who face mental stress during examinations. It will boost the confidence level of these students and help them get success in various competitive exams.

Note: Social Justice and Empowerment Minister: Thawarchand Gehlot.

5. IPS officer Atul Karwal appointed as Director of National Police Academy: The Union Government appointed a senior Gujarat Cadre IPS officer Atul Karwal, as Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. He is a 1988 batch IPS officer, is currently posted as Additional Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Afghanistan becomes 1st country to recognize Indian Pharmacopoeia: The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) has been recognised formally by the National Department of Regulation of Medicines and Health Products of the Ministry of Public Health of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. With this Afghanistan has become the 1st country to recognize IP pursuant to the efforts of Department of Commerce and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Note: IP is an officially recognized book of standards as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder. It specifies the standards of drugs manufactured and marketed in India in terms of their identity, purity and strength. To ensure the quality of medicinal products, the legal and scientific standards are provided by Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) in the form of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).

2. Donald Trump becomes 3rd US President to be impeached: Donald Trump has become the third US President in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The impeachment will led to setting up a trial in the Senate that will decide whether Trump will remain in office or not. The House voted the President on two charges: one that he abused his power and other that he had obstructed Congress. The issue will now pass to the US Senate, which will hold a trial on whether to convict and remove Mr Trump from the office next month. Only two previous presidents have been impeached in the US history. The House in 1998 impeached President Bill Clinton while President Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868. Although, no President in the 243-year history of the United States has been removed from office by impeachment.

3. Portugal announces Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize: Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced the setting up of a Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize. Portugal will be launching a Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize, each year inspired by his different thoughts and quotes. The first edition of this prize will be dedicated to animal welfare as Mahatma Gandhi said that the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

Note: Portugal Capital: Lisbon; Portugal Currency: Euro.

4. International Human Solidarity Day: 20 December: The United Nation (UN) International Human Solidarity Day is annually held on 20th December to celebrate unity in diversity. The Day aims to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity and encourages debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication. The United Nations General Assembly established the World Solidarity Fund on 20th December 2002 as a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Zeena Khitta wins women's national 10m Air Rifle: Zeena Khitta (from Himachal Pradesh) beat Mehuli Ghosh and Apurvi Chandela to become the national champion in the women's 10m Air Rifle event at the ongoing 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal. Mehuli had to settle for the silver while Apurvi won the bronze. Among the teams, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and West Bengal won two gold medals each.

2. Cummins joins KKR for Rs 15.50 crore, becomes most expensive foreign buy: Australian Pat Cummins becomes the most expensive overseas player signing in IPL history. Kolkata Knight Riders pick up the top-ranked Test bowler for a whopping Rs 15.50 crore. Glenn Maxwell earned himself a big payday as well, the hard-hitting batsmen signed by Kings XI Punjab for Rs. 10.75 crore after a tussle with Delhi Capitals. Chris Morris hit the 10-crore rupee mark with Royal Challengers Bangalore outlasting both Punjab and Mumbai Indians to secure the services of the South African all-rounder. Robin-Uthappa picked up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 3 crores in the IPL Auction.

3. Indian men’s football team ranked 108th in latest FIFA rankings: The Indian men’s football team remained static at 108th spot in the year-ending FIFA rankings. India lost 11 places throughout the year. With 1187 total points, India is placed at 19th spot among Asian countries headed by Japan 28th. Belgium ended on top for the second successive year and France remained in second place ahead of Brazil. In the Asian rankings, Japan (28th) is followed by Iran (33), Korea (40), Australia (42) and continental champions Qatar (55).

Note: President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino; Founded: 21 May 1904; Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Infosys launches blockchain powered distributed applications: Infosys has announced the launch of three blockchain-powered distributed applications. The applications will be dedicated for government services, insurance, and supply chain management domains. The applications are equipped with predictive return on investment (ROI) analytics for business investments that can be tailored to meet numerous industry-specific needs.

Note: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys: Salil Parekh; Headquarters: Bengaluru.

2. Apple, Amazon & Google partners for ‘Connected Home over IP’: “Amazon.com Inc”, “Apple Inc” and Alphabet Inc’s “Google” have announced a partnership to lay the groundwork for better compatibility among their smart home products. Zigbee Alliance, whose members include IKEA and NXP Semiconductors among others, will also contribute to the project, titled ‘Connected Home over IP’. The partnership aims to make it easier for device manufacturers to build products that are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Sahitya Akademi award 2019 released: Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 23 languages. Seven books of poetry, four of the novel, six of short stories, three of essays and one each of non-fiction, autobiography and biography have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2019. This time, the awards for the Nepali language will be announced later.

The Award in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl and an amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- towards cash content will be presented to the authors of these books at a special function to be held on 25 February 2020 at New Delhi during the Festival of Letters organized by Sahitya Akademi.

The complete list of winners in a different language and genre categories is given in the table below.

Sr. No	Language	Title and Genre	Name of the Author
1	Assamese	Chanakya (Novel)	Joysree Goswami Mahanta
2	Bengali	Ghumer Darja Thele (Essays)	Chinmoy Guha
3	Bodo	Akhai Athumniphrai (Poetry)	Phukan Ch. Basumatary
4	Dogri	Bandralta Darpan (Essays)	Om Sharma Jandriari
5	English	An Era of Darkness (Non-Fiction)	Shashi  Tharoor
6	Gujarati	Mojma Revu Re (Essays)	Ratilal Borisagar
7	Hindi	Chheelate  Hue Apne Ko (Poetry)	Nand  Kishore Acharya
8	Kannada	Kudi Esaru (Autobiography)	Vijaya
9	Kashmiri	Akh Yaad Akh Qayamat (Short Stories)	Abdul AhadHajini
10	Konkani	The Words (Poetry)	Nilba A Khandekar
11	Maithili	Jingik Oriaon Kariat (Poetry)	Kumar Manish Arvind
12	Malayalam	Achan Piranna Veedu (Poetry)	V Madhusoodanan Nair
13	Manipuri	EiAmadi Adungeigi Eethat (Novel)	L Birmangol Singh (Beryl Thanga)
14	Marathi	Kadachit Ajoonahi(Poetry)	Anuradha Patil
15	Odia	Bhaswati (Short Stories)	Tarun Kanti Mishra
16	Punjabi	Antheen (Short Stories)	Kirpal Kazak
17	Rajasthani	BareekBaat (Short Stories)	Ramswaroop Kisan
18	Sanskrit	Prajnachakshusham   (Poetry)	Penna   Madhusudan
19	Santali	Sisirkali (Short Stories)	Kali Charan Hembram
20	Sindhi	Jeejal (Short Stories)	Ishwar Moorjani
21	Tamil	Sool (Novel)	Cho Dharman
22	Telugu	Septabhoomi (Novel)	Bandi Narayana Swamy
23	Urdu	Sawaneh-E-Sir   Syed: Ek Bazadeed (Biography)	Shafey Kidwai

DEFENCE

1. Upgraded version of Pinaka Rocket successfully test-fired off Odisha coast: An upgraded version of the indigenously developed Pinaka-guided rocket system with enhanced strike range and guidance system was successfully test-fired from the DRDO’s Proof and Experimental Establishment firing test range off Odisha coast. The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 75 km for Mark-II and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds. It is mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility. Pinaka is an indigenous multi-barrel rocket launch (MBRL) system, which has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The weapon system is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance kit comprising of an advanced navigation and control system.

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

OBITUARIES

1. Writer and critic LS Sheshagiri Rao passes away: Kannada writer and critic L.S. Sheshagiri Rao passed away. His first work was Idu Jeevana, an anthology of short stories was released in 1948. He is best known for his book “Hosagannada Sahitya Charitre”. He was best known for his critical works and an English-Kannada dictionary that he compiled. Proficient in Kannada and English, many of his works were bridges between the two languages.

Daily GK Updates - 19th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 50% concession for ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ participants: Indian Railways has decided to grant 50% concession for the youth participating in the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” programme. The concession will be given in basic fares of Second and Sleeper Class to youths with emoluments of not more than 5000 rupees per month for travelling from one State to another State to take part in the programme. The concession has been granted as a special case and it is admissible only in the normal train services and not for booking of Special Trains or Coaches.

Note: Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

2. Chennai Corporation launches India’s first waste exchange platform: Chennai Corporation, Tamil Nadu launched India’s first waste exchange platform namely “Madras Waste Exchange” (www.madraswasteexchange.com) to buy and sell municipal solid waste online. It will run on a pilot basis for the first three months. Based on the response from public and waste recyclers, more features will be added to the website. The Madras Waste Exchange, which is both a web portal and an application, has been conceptualised by the Smart City Mission, with support from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri.

3. Odisha Govt. launches ‘Jalsathi’ programme: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched the ‘Jalsathi’ programme to ensure supply of safe drinking water to all households in the state. The Odisha CM also launched the ‘JalSathi’ App on the occasion. The Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) signed a memorandum of understanding with the women federations in Bhubaneswar for the implementation of the programme. The JalSathi initiative aims to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to consumers through piped water connections.

Note: Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal.

4. Dehradun hosts Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 79th Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies. The conference was held in Dehradun. The presiding officers of all state legislatures participated in the conference. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla was also conferred the guard of honour during the conference.

5. Concept of 3 capitals to be considered in Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy indicated that the State could have three capitals following the decentralisation concept. The Chief Minister said the existing Capital Amaravati could become the "Legislative Capital", the Port city Visakhapatnam the "Executive Capital" and the Kurnool the "Judiciary Capital". Meanwhile, he also added that a final call would be taken only after the Expert Committee constituted to look into the issue submitted its report.

6. Devesh Srivastava appointed GIC chief: Devesh Srivastava has been raised to the position of Chairman and Managing Director (MD) at the General Insurance Corporation India (GIC Re). Srivastava succeeds Alice Vaidyan, who retired in July 2019, since then the GIC Re was functioning without a full-time chief. Previously he was managing the departments of human resource and training, ReInsurance Worldwide (RIWW), corporate communications, CMD’s Secretariat and innovation centre, he was transferred to GIC in 1999. GIC Re accounted for about 60% of premiums ceded by Indian insurers to reinsurers during FY17. The corporation had gone public in 2017. The government has also appointed Malay Kumar Poddar as Chairman and MD of Agriculture Insurance Corporation of India.

Note: General Insurance Corporation India founded: 22 November 1972; Headquarters: Mumbai, India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India and US sign defence tech transfer pact during 2+2 dialogue: India and the US have signed an agreement to facilitate the transfer of defence technology. During a 2+2 dialogue held at Washington DC, the top foreign affairs and defence leaders on growing strategic relations between the world`s largest and most powerful democracies. India and the US have a common vision of a free, seamless and peaceful Indo-Pacific region. India has bought weapons worth more than $15 billion from the United States over the past decade as it seeks to replace its Russian-origin military and is in talks for helicopters, armed drones and a bigger Indian plan for local production of combat planes together worth billions of dollars.

Note: Minister of Defence: Raj Nath Singh; Minister of External Affairs: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

2. Portuguese PM Antonio Costa arrives in New Delhi on 2-day visit to India: Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa arrived in New Delhi on a two-day visit to India. He will attend the second meeting of the Organising Committee on the celebrations for the 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The Organising Committee meeting will be presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind. Portugal views India as a vibrant pluralistic democracy, a major world economy and an ancient civilisation with which it has close, historical and cultural ties.

Note: Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain.

3. French carmaker PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler sign merger agreement: French carmaker “Peugeot SA” and US-Italian “Fiat Chrysler” have signed an agreement to create the world’s fourth largest automaker. The binding combination agreement provides a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the 4th largest global automotive original equipment manufacturer by volume and third largest by revenue. The combined group will have a workforce of more than 400,000, total revenues of close to USD 190 million and annual unit sales of some 8.7 million vehicles of the brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall. The combined group would be headquartered in the Netherlands. Fiat Chrysler’s chief John Elkann will be the chairman and PSA’s Carlos Tavares chief executive of the new entity.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Kuldeep Yadav becomes the first Indian cricketer to claim two ODI hat trick: India's left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav (25-years) has become India's first bowler to claim two international hat-tricks in the second one-day against West Indies. Kuldeep Yadav sent back Shai Hope (78-runs), Jason Holder (11-runs) and Alzarri Joseph (0) on the final three deliveries of his eighth over in Visakhapatnam against West Indies. He claimed his first against Australia at Kolkata's Eden Gardens in 2017. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) and Trent Boult (New Zealand) to pick up more than one hat-trick in ODIs. The only bowler to have taken three ODI hat-tricks is Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga.

Note: A hat-trick in cricket is when a bowler takes three wickets on consecutive deliveries, dismissing three different batsmen.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. GST Council fixes 28% uniform tax rate for lottery: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council headed by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman fixed a uniform tax rate of 28% on both state-run and private lottery. It also decided to rationalise the GST rate on woven and non-woven bags to 18%. It was for the first time that the GST Council resorted to voting to decide on an issue as it fixed a uniform tax rate on both state and private lotteries. The GST Council also decided to exempt upfront amount payable for long term lease of industrial and financial infrastructure plots by an entity having 20% or more ownership of Central or State Government.

Note: GST is an Indirect Tax which has replaced many Indirect Taxes in India. The Goods and Service Tax Act was passed in the Parliament on 29th March 2017. The Act came into effect on 1st July 2017; Goods & Services Tax Law in India is a comprehensive, multi-stage, destination-based tax that is levied on every value addition.

2. HDFC Bank crosses $100 billion market capitalization: HDFC Bank has become the 3rd Indian firm to cross $100 billion mark in market capitalisation. HDFC Bank has joined the league of Reliance Industries Ltd, which has a market cap of $140.74 billion, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) that has a market cap of $114.60 billion. With this achievement, HDFC Bank is now ranked 110th in the list of world’s most valued companies. Among the world’s most valued banks and financial companies which have a market cap of over $100 billion, HDFC Bank is ranked at 26th position.

Note: Managing Director of HDFC Bank: Aditya Puri; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Amitabha Bagchi wins 2019 DSC Prize: The IME Nepal Literature Festival (8th edition) at Pokhara, concluded with the announcement of the winner of DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2019. The USD 25,000 award went to Amitabha Bagchi for his 2018 novel, Half the Night is Gone. The DSC Prize, instituted in 2010, awards fiction from the South Asian region, which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as from the diaspora.

DEFENCE

1. Anti-hijacking exercise conducted in Kochi port: The Indian Navy, in collaboration with Indian Coast Guard, Cochin Port Trust and all other concerned stakeholders, conducted a large-scale anti-hijacking exercise off the Port of Kochi. The Exercise code-named “Apharan” saw the participation of multiple agencies, including more than 12 ships and helicopters of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Cochin Port Trust. Apharan was aimed at streamlining the response mechanism/preparedness to thwart any attempt by anti-national elements to hijack a merchant’s vessel or attempt forced entry of a rogue/commandeered merchant vessel into the Kochi harbour.

Note: Indian Coast Guard founded: 18 August 1978; Headquarters: New Delhi.

Daily GK Updates - 18th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union government launches National Broadband Mission: The Union government has launched National Broadband Mission to provide Broadband access to all villages by 2022. The mission aims to connect 600,000 villages across India with an investment of Rs 7 lakh crore in the next 4 years from both government and private sector. The mission is a part of the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018. The mission will secure universal broadband access for implementation of broadband initiatives and aims to offer Internet speed upto 50 Mbps in a phased manner. According to the government, 10% of the funds will come from Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund and the remaining will come from industry in the form of towers and other assets.

2. GEM launches national outreach programme ‘GeM Samvaad’: Government e-commerce portal (GeM) has launched a national outreach programme ‘GeM Samvaad’ to bring on-board more local sellers. The outreach programme will take place with stakeholders across the country and with local sellers to facilitate on-boarding of local sellers on the marketplace. The programme will take place from 19th December to 17th February next year and will cover all the States and Union Territories of the country. GeM has more than 15 lakh products and around 20,000 services, more than 3 lakh registered sellers and service providers and more than 40 thousand government buyer organizations.

Note: Commerce Secretary of India: Anup Wadhawan.

3. Orange festival begins in Manipur: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh inaugurated the three days State-level Orange festival at district headquarters Tamenglong in Manipur. The state government under the sponsorship of North Eastern Council organise the festival annually to promote the fruit and encourage its growers. ‘On day one, orange growers’ competition was held and prizes were distributed to top position holders. As part of the festival, cultural show, traditional games, orange queen completion, a seminar for growers will be held. Tamenglong district is the largest producer of orange fruit in Manipur.

Note: Governor of Manipur: Najma Heptulla.

4. Sridhar Patra appointed CMD of NALCO: Sridhar Patra has been appointed as the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) till 31st October 2024. Currently, Mr Patra is posted as Director (Finance) in the National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO). He replaced Tapan Kumar Chand from the post.

Note: National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is a Navratna group ‘A’ CPSE having integrated and diversified operations in mining, metal and power under Ministry of Mines, Government of India. Presently, the Government of India holds 52% equity of NALCO.

NALCO Established: 7 January 1981; Headquarters: Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

5. GoI flagship scheme, AMRUT extended by 2 years: The Union Government has extended the deadline of its flagship scheme AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) by two more years. In 2015, PM Modi has launched AMRUT mission, promising 139 lakh water connections and 145 lakh sewer connections by March 2020. In the last five years, 2,316 projects have been completed so far at an expense of Rs 7,195 crore. The expenditure of the mission was estimated as Rs 77,640 crores. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affair, 46% of water connection & 28.3% of sewer connections have been achieved between June 2015 and December 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Turkey historic mosque moved before dam waters rise: In Turkey, the main body of the 610-year-old Er-Rızk mosque was removed from the town of Hasankeyf ahead of its submergence as part of a Ilisu dam project. The Ilisu Dam will generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity, making it Turkey’s fourth-largest dam in terms of energy production.

Note: Capital of Turkey: Ankara; Currency of Turkey: The Turkish lira.

2. International Migrants Day: 18 December: The International Migrants Day is organized across the world on 18th December to protect the rights of migrant workers and members of their families. In Dec 2000, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 18 Dec as International Migrants Day after considering the large and increasing number of migrants in the world. The International Organization for Migration salutes migrants and the communities they join, the communities they remake through their mutual effort. We salute them and we support them, and pledge to make the future we believe is arriving for all of us. #WeTogether.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Deepak Punia is UWW’s best junior wrestler of 2019: World championships silver medallist Deepak Punia has been named United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Junior Freestyle Wrestler of the Year. Punia became the first Indian wrestler in 18 years to win a junior world title since 2001. Japan’s Yui SUSAKI has been named United World Wrestling’s Junior Women’s Wrestler of the Year. Currently, Punia is number-1 in the UWW rankings of 86kg category.

2. Smriti Mandhana in ICC's ODI and T20 team of the year: Indian opener Smriti Mandhana was named in both the International Cricket Council's ODI and T20 teams of the year. Mandhana has Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav and Shikha Pandey for the company in the ODI team of the year and all-rounder Deepti Sharma in the T20 side. Mandhana has played 51 ODIs and 66 T20Is for India (combined tally of 3476 runs), besides a couple of Test matches. Australia's Alyssa Healy was chosen as the T20 cricketer of the year following her record-breaking 148 against Sri Lanka earlier this year. The ODI cricketer of the year honour went to Australia's Ellyse Perry, who scored 441 runs and took 21 wickets.

Top ICC Awards 2019

Award	Name
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year	Ellyse Perry (Australia)
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year	Alyssa Healy (Australia)
ICC Women’s Emerging Player of the Year	Chanida Sutthiruang (Thailand)
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year	Ellyse Perry (Australia)
ICC Captain of Women’s ODI Team of the Year	Meg Lanning (Australia)
ICC Captain of Women’s T20I Team of the Year	Meg Lanning (Australia)

3. England Cricketer Laura Marsh announces retirement: The Laura Alexandra Marsh, England cricketer announced her retirement. Laura has won three World Cups in her 13-year career, she made her debut in 2006 as a seamer, later on, she switched to spin. She has represented England in 103 ODI’s (One Day International), 67 T20’s and 9 Tests and has taken 217 wickets in her career. She is also England’s 3rd highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket. Laura Marsh was awarded a full central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in February 2019. She played in her 100th women’s One Day International (WODI) match against West Indies in June 2019.

Note: England Capital: London; Currency: Pound sterling.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI inks $277 million pact with Germany based KfW bank: State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a loan agreement worth of $277 million (about Rs 1,958 crore) with Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) German development bank for establishing an energy-efficient housing programme in India. The programme shall be part of the Indo-German Development Co-operation, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Under the programme, both builders and homebuyers shall be financed for developing/purchasing energy-efficient residential projects that achieve at least 25 per cent energy savings in comparison to standard reference buildings. The arrangement of the loan and the grant facilities was facilitated by SBI’s investment banking subsidiary SBI Capital Markets Ltd.

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

2. RBI waives NEFT, RTGS transfer charges for savings account holders: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has waived NEFT, RTGS transfer charges for savings account holders. In an order, RBI instructed banks to make all online payments done through RTGS and NEFT free of cost for savings account holders. The new rule will be effective from January 1, 2020.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. GoI signs $250 Mn loan with ADB to expand energy efficiency investments: The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $250 million loan for Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). The loan aims to expand energy efficiency investments in India that will benefit agricultural, residential and institutional consumers. Additionally, $46 million financing will be provided from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), to be administered by ADB. The project is expected to contribute to the mission of Government of India to promote energy efficiency and meet Government’s commitments to reduce energy intensity of the economy. Introduction of energy-efficient technologies in eligible states including smart meters, distributed solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles will help reduce electricity network losses and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Gujarat police became 7th state police to get ‘President’s Colours’: The state police of Gujarat were honoured with ‘President’s colours’. The Gujarat police were presented with the President’s colours by Vice President of India Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. They were presented the president’s colours for their outstanding services. It is the highest honour given to a police force in India. The previously awarded states were Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Tripura and Assam.

Note: The president’s colours is also known as ‘Nishaan’ which is an emblem that will be worn by all police officers on the left-hand sleeve of their uniform.

Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat.

2. B P Raju wins India Cyber Cop of the Year 2019 award: B P Raju (CBI- officer) has been awarded the ‘India Cyber Cop of the Year 2019’ during the Annual Information Security Summit held at Gurgaon, Haryana. He won the award for investigating and cracking a fraud case in an online entrance exam conducted by an engineering college in Rajasthan. Raju arrested nine accused persons and collected incriminating evidence from digital devices, which revealed the modus operandi adopted by the accuse. The award was conferred by NASSCOM-DSCI (Data Security Council of India).

DEFENCE

1. Land-attack version of BrahMos missile successfully test-fired from Odisha’s Chandipur: India successfully conducted a developmental trial of the land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Chandipur Integrated Test Range, off Odisha coast. The 9-meter long missile can travel at thrice the speed of sound and carry a conventional warhead weighing up to 300 kg. The BrahMos missile is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines, ships, fighter jets or land.

Note: DRDO Chairman:G Satheesh Reddy, in: 1958, Headquarters in: New Delhi.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran actor Shriram Lagoo passes away: Veteran actor & ENT Surgeon Dr Shriram Lagoo (92-years) passed away at his Pune residence. Mr. Lagoo acted in more than 100 Hindi and Marathi films in his career and directed twenty plays in Marathi. His roles in Marathi plays such as “Natsamrat” and “Himalayachi Saoli”, and films such as “Pinjra” made him popular. In Hindi, he essayed memorable roles in films such as “Ek Din Achanak”, “Gharonda” and “Lawaris”, to name a few. Dr Lagoo also wrote a book, an autobiography titled ‘Lamaan’ (means ‘the carrier of goods’).

2. Former Union Minister ID Swami passes away: Former Union Minister & Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader I D Swami (90 years) passed away in Faridabad. He served as the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs in 1999 in former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government. He was also two times Lok Sabha member from Karnal (Haryana) in 1966 and 1999.