Daily GK Updates - 20th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Mobile App “National Test Abhyas” launched by Union HRD Ministry: Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has launched the ‘National Test Abhyas' mobile app. It has been developed by National Testing Agency (NTA) to enable candidates for taking mock tests of upcoming exams like JEE Main and NEET under the NTA’s purview. The test will be of high quality, free of cost and can be downloaded easily. The move is taken to ensure exposure of practice mock for all the students.

2. ‘Rail-Bot’ developed by SCR to provide better health care to COVID-19 patients: South Central Railway (SCR) zone has developed a robotic device named as “RAIL-BOT” or R-BOT to assist in the functions of hospital management to provide better health care to the COVID-19 patients. It will be used to supply medicines, medical accessories and to serve food to the patients, without any need for physical contact. The R-BOT holds sensor-based features to read the blood heat of patients and transmit an equivalent for display on Mobile phones. It will raise alarm if abnormal high temperature is detected. It can function for 6 hrs in single charge with 11 kmph speed.

Note: Headquarters of South Central Railway zone: Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad; General-Manager of South Central Railway: Gajanan Mallya.

3. Cyclone Amphan intensifies into Super Cyclone: Cyclone Amphan intensified into a super cyclone with wind speed above 200 kmph and moved further towards North-Northeastwards over West Central Bay. It is the first super cyclone to hit the region in the last two decades since a super cyclone-hit Odisha in 1999 causing widespread damage and loss of life. India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain in Odisha and West Bengal under its impact.

4. LISA technique for lung treatment of newborns launched in Jaipur: Less Invasive surfactant Administration (LISA) technique has been developed to treat lungs problem. It is a protective strategy for respiratory management and mechanical ventilation causing damage to the preterm lungs of infants. Infants who are managed with primary continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and increasing respiratory distress are suitable for LISA. Its regular application would save the lives of premature babies.

5. Indian Railways operationalised its 1st 12,000 hp electric Locomotive- WAG12: Indian Railways has operationalised its first 12000 HP Locomotive manufactured by Madhepura Electric Loco Factory in Bihar. The locomotive is named as WAG12 with Number 60027 and was built indigenously under Make in India programme. The train starts its operation from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station at 14:08 hrs and was having 118 wagons on broad gauge track. India became the 6th country of the world producing high horse power locomotive indigenously.

Note: Union Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal; Minister of State of Railways: Angadi Suresh Channabasappa.

6. Ladakh becomes COVID-19 free after recovery of all active cases: The Union Territory, Ladakh has become corona virus free as the region have not reported any fresh case since 3rd May 2020. A total of 43 cases of Coronavirus were reported in Ladakh till now and all the confirmed cases have recovered from the COVID-19.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: Radha Krishna Mathur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India donates $2 million to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees Amid COVID-19: India has extended USD 2 million in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the welfare of Palestinian refugees, amidst the coronavirus crisis. UNRWA provides education, health care, relief and social services to Palestinian refugees in Near East. India’s contribution was handed over by India’s representative to Palestine Sunil Kumar to Chief of Donor Relations of UNRWA Marc Lassouaoui. India increased its annual contribution to the UNRWA from USD 1.25 million in 2016 to USD 5 million in 2019. It pledged another USD 5 million for 2020, opening the way to become a member of the Agency’s Advisory Commission.

Note: United Nations Relief and Works Agency Headquarters headquarter: Amman, Jordan; United Nations Relief and Works Agency Commissioner- General: Christian Saunders

2. WHO will initiate Independent Inquiry in handling of COVID-19: The World Health Organisation will initiate the Independent Inquiry in the handling of COVID-19. To achieve this, WHO will launch “Resolution on COVID-19 response”. The main aim of the review is to put an end to the international blame game in the origin of COVID-19. Around 116 countries backed the resolution of independent review. India backed the resolution. The idea of the resolution was initiated by Australia. However, the resolution was drafted by the European Union.

Notr: Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; Director-general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.

3. Thomas Thabane resigns from the post of Lesotho PM: Africa's oldest political leader, Thomas Thabane has stepped down as Prime Minister of Lesotho. Thabane and his current wife are suspected of conspiring to murder his former wife nearly three years ago. He started his career as Principal Secretary for Health in 1986 and then was Foreign Affairs Minister (1990- 91). Thabane was appointed as Prime Minister of Lesotho on 16 June 2017. Lesotho’s Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro has been named by parliament as the interim Prime Minister of the country.

Note: Lesotho is the southern African mountain kingdom; Lesotho Capital: Maseru; Lesotho Currency: Lesotho loti.

4. China announces USD 2 billion help at WHO assembly: China has announced to provide USD 2 billion over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic at WHO assembly with an aim of supporting COVID-19 response efforts, particularly in developing countries. The decision comes after, when China faced growing global pressure over the lockdowns, the death toll and a huge increase in coronavirus cases that has brought the world to a standstill. WHO announced the coronavirus outbreak to be a worldwide health emergency on January 30 which was further declared as a pandemic on March 11, after the virus had killed thousands globally.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency of China: Renminbi; President of China: Xi Jinping.

5. World Bee Day: 20th May: The World Bee Day is celebrated every year on May 20 to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem. The theme of World Bee Day 2020 is “Bee engaged”. The day also marks the birth anniversary of Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, who was born on 20 May 1734. The day was proposed by Slovenia and proclaimed by UN Member States in December 2017. About 33% of the world’s food production depends on bees thus they are vital for the preservation of biodiversity, ecological balance in nature and helpful in reducing pollution.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General: QU Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Founded: 16 October 1945.

6. Ruskin Bond’s new book ‘Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes’ Released: Popular author Ruskin Bond’s new book titled “Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes”, was released on 19 May 2020 in an e-book format, to celebrate the occasion of his 86th birthday. The book narrates some of his memorable travel adventures on boats, trains and planes from his childhood. It contains illustrations by Samrat Halder and is published by Speaking Tiger’s children’s imprint Talking Cub.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI extends KYC norms to Housing Finance Companies: The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines/norms will now be applicable to Housing Finance Companies also. It must be noted that the Regulation of Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) was transferred from the National Housing Bank to RBI in August 2019. And KYC norms are applicable to all Regulated Entities of the RBI and hence it has now been made applicable on Housing Finance Companies also.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. BSE, NSE cut annual listing fee for SMEs by 25%: Stock exchanges BSE and NSE have announced to reduce the listing fee for their SME platforms by 25 per cent. BSE and NSE had launched their respective SME platforms in 2012 and since then have been facilitating SMEs for raising funds, listing and trading on the exchanges. The rebate in the fee comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s several announcements to rescue the ailing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar wins Alexander Dalrymple Award 2019: Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, the National Hydrographer to the Government of India, has been honored with the 2019 Alexander Dalrymple Award, by United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). He has been awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian hydrography and across the wider Indian Ocean region. The award was presented by the UK Ministry of Defence. The recipients of the award are selected by the chief Committee of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) for his or her efforts in raising the standards of hydrography, cartography and navigation around the world. The award is named after the first Hydrographer of the British Admiralty, Alexander Dalrymple and was first presented in 2006. Recipients of the award are selected by the Executive Committee of the UKHO for their efforts in raising the standards of hydrography, cartography, and navigation around the world.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff (CNC): Admiral Karambir Singh.

Director of International Hydrographic Organisations: Abri Kampfer (South Africa) & Mustafa Iptes (Turkey); International Hydrographic Organisations Established: 1921; International Hydrographic Organisations Headquarters: Monaco.

OBITUARIES

1. Spiritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri passes away: Noted spiritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri passed away at the age of 82 years. He died due to lung and kidney ailments. He was popularly known as ‘Daddaji’. He was from Madhya Pradesh.

Daily GK Updates - 19th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Madhya Pradesh launches Charan Paduka Campaign for migrant Labourers: In a first of its kind of initiative, the Madhya Pradesh police have started Charan Paduka (चरण पादुका) campaign for the migrant labourers passing through the state. Under the Charan Paduka campaign, the migrant labourers going barefoot are being provided shoes and slippers by the police to reduce their pain. The campaign was started from the Rau Police Station of Indore and has spread in many cities of MP including Damoh, Umaria and Sagar.

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Lal Ji Tandon.

2. Rajesh Goel appointed as Director General of Real Estate body NAREDCO: Rajesh Goel has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), a self-regulatory realtors body under the aegis of Housing and Urban Affairs Government of India. Prior to this, he was serving as the chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Prefab Ltd. Rajesh Goel has 37 years’ experience in leading PSUs under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). NAREDCO and CREDAI are the two major associations of real estate developers across the country.

Note: National Real Estate Development Council Established: 1998; National Real Estate Development Council Headquarters: New Delhi.

3. Karnataka launches H.A.C.K for cyber security start-ups: An accelerator programme branded as “H.A.C.K” has been launched by the Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence in cyber security (CySecK). H.A.C.K is the Karnataka’s first cybersecurity-specific accelerator programme comprising of 21 start-ups on board across three cohorts: 10x cohort, 0-1 cohort and virtual cohort. It will also support Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It will also facilitate standardisation for information security, and technical training in cyber security.

Note: Chief Minister of Karnataka: B.S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

4. India Post releases Special Postal Cover for migrant workers: India Post has released Special Postal Cover dedicated to the migrant workers. The Special Postal Cover was released with an objective of paying tribute to them during an event at the Bicentennial Hall of the historic Mumbai GPO building. Five migrant workers were called upon from different sectors to release the Special Postal Cover which was released during an event at the Bicentennial Hall of the historic Mumbai GPO building. The release of Special Cover was an attempt made by India Post to keep the struggles and contributions of migrant workers, recorded in the history of India.

Note: Director General of India Post: Arundhaty Ghosh.

5. NALSA launches report on undertrials released during the lockdown period: National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has released a report showing the 42,259 undertrial prisoners release during the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the report, highest numbers of undertrial prisoners released were 9,977 in Uttar Pradesh, followed by 5,460 in Rajasthan, 4,547 in Tamil Nadu, 3,698 in Punjab and 3,400 in Maharashtra. A total of 16,391 convicts were released on parole as per the report. NALSA provide free legal services to weaker sections of society.

6. Culture Minister hosted ‘Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces’: Ministry of Culture hosted a webinar titled “Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces” to celebrate the International Museum Day and for creating sustainable cultural organizations post COVID-19. The objective is to identify the possible policy actions that will help alleviate the short and long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis on museums, and cultural spaces. The technical assistance was given by National e-Governance Division created by MeitY.

7. Govt implements Shekatkar Committee recommendations: Central Government has accepted and implemented recommendations of D B Shekatkar Committee for border Infrastructure. Government is all set to speed up road construction that will enhance socio economic development in the border areas. It has implemented outsourcing of road construction and make adoption of EPC mode for work costing more than Rs 100 crore.

Introduction of modern construction plants, equipment, machinery, and New Technology has also been implemented.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 73rd session of World Health Assembly held via video conferencing: The 73rd session of World Health Assembly was held via video conferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 73rd session of the assembly featured the participation of the delegations from all WHO Member States and focused on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. During the session, India was represented by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. Every year World Health Assembly meets in Geneva, Switzerland but this year, the meet was held through online mode.

Note: World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO;WHA’s Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland.

2. Japan launches new unit for defense in outer space named Space Operations Squadron: Japan launched a new space defense unit that will monitor and counter threats to the satellites of Japan. The unit is named Space Operations Squadron and is a part of Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force. It has started will 20 members and will become fully operational by the year 2023. The role of Space Operations Squadron is to monitor and protect Japanese satellites from enemy attacks or space debris.

3. Baltic countries to start ‘travel bubble’: Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have started ‘travel bubble’ for bringing their economies to track post-pandemic lockdown. Travel bubble will reconnect countries or states with a good level of success in containing coronavirus domestically enhancing 35% of GDP. It will than allow the group members for trade ties and kickstart travel-tourism sectors. Under this, residents will be allowed to travel freely by rail, air and sea without any quarantine.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. ICC cricket committee set to ban the use of saliva to shine ball: The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket Committee has recommended banning on the use of saliva to shine the ball. The practice meant for swing bowling is now primarily held as health risk due to the threats of COVID-19 and protect the safety of players and match officials. This committee is chaired by former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

Note: Chairman of ICC: Shashank Manohar; Chief Executive: Manu Sahney; Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2. Bundesliga becomes 1st major sports event to resume post COVID-19 lockdown: The Bundesliga primary football league of Germany becomes the world’s first major sports event to resume after COVID-19 lockdown. The Bundesliga games began with empty stadium though the stadium had the capacity to hold more than 80,000 players. Bundesliga means “Federal League”. The Bundesliga is the primary football league in Germany. The game was begun in 1963.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Canara Bank sets up business vertical for gold loans: Canara Bank has launched special gold loans business vertical to help customer’s financial need amid COVID-19 pandemic. Under this, the campaign will be held till June 30, 2020. The loan will be facilitated at 7.85% interest rate per annum and are payable for a period of 1 to 3 years with flexible repayment options. This will help customers in meeting the expenses of different sectors like agriculture & allied sector, business needs, health emergencies and personal need.

Note: Canara Bank Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka; Canara Bank Chairman: T.N. Manoharan; Canara Bank MD and CEO: L.V. Prabhakar.

2. Kotak Mahindra Bank becomes first bank in India to allow video KYC: Kotak Mahindra Bank has introduced the video-KYC (Know your customer) facility for customers opening savings account on Kotak 811 platform. With this, Kotak Mahindra Bank has become the first Indian bank to offer video-based “zero-contact” onboarding service. The initiative is presently being launched on a pilot basis for savings accounts. RBI has introduced the notification regarding Video-based KYC in January 2020. With Video KYC, verification of documents and signature are completed via a video call with a representative from the bank without any physical interface.

Note: Kotak Mahindra Bank Establishment: 2003; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Kotak Mahindra Bank Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer: Uday Kotak

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Alibaba’s Jack Ma resigns from SoftBank board: Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma resigns from SoftBank board of directors. Jack Ma was serving for nearly 13 years in the board. Ma is expected to resign from the Group’s board on June 25. The news comes as the group posted record financial loss of USD 13 billion. Jack Ma had retired as the Executive Chairman of Alibaba in September 2019. SoftBank will now appoint three new members to the board, including group Chief Financial Officer Yoshimoto Goto, at its annual general meeting. The board members numbers will expand to 13 as per the company.

Note: SoftBank CEO: Masayoshi Son; SoftBank Headquarters: Minato City, Tokyo, Japan; SoftBank established: 3 September 1981.

DEFENCE

1. Utility Ship ‘INLCU L57’ commissioned into Indian Navy: Indigenously developed Landing Craft Utility Ship 'INLCU L57' (Mark IV warship) commissioned into Indian Navy in Port Blair. INLCU L57 is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE). Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK-IV class is the 7th warship to be inducted into Indian Navy. This ship can carry 160 troops and can be used for transporting and deploying main battle tanks like Arjun, T72, etc along with search & rescue, disaster relief, etc.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Australian Rugby League Great, Arthur Summons Passes Away: Former Australian rugby league captain, Arthur Summons, has passed away. He was 84. The former Kangaroos captain and coach is portrayed on the National Rugby League Trophy (NRL) along with rival captain Norm Provan. The NRL trophy was renamed the Provan-Summons Trophy on the 50th anniversary of the match in 2013. The trophy is awarded each year to Australia’s rugby league premiers.

Daily GK Updates - 18th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NRAI partners with DotPe to build tech platform for online payments and ordering: National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) has partnered with DotPe (a fintech start-up) to build its own tech platform that would enable them with online payments for digital ordering, bill settlements, and contactless dining. NRAI is the apex body of the Food and Beverage Industry in India. This partnership would directly take on existing food-tech aggregators, Zomato and Swiggy. NRAI is also exploring synergies with social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram to provide and ordering facilities and visibility for restaurant partners who could potentially be its members.

Note: President of NRAI: Riyaaz Amlani; NRAI Founded: 1982; NRAI Headquartered: Delhi

DotPe was founded by the erstwhile PayU co-founder and Managing Director: Shailaz Nag; DotPe Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana.

2. Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Amphan’ Circling over central parts of South Bay of Bengal: A Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Amphan’ (pronounced as UM-PUN) has positioned over the central parts of South Bay of Bengal and is likely to intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours. As per the information by the India Meteorological Department, on 16 May 2020, a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal (BoB) intensified into cyclonic storm ‘AMPHAN’ over the central parts of south BoB and further intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on 17 May, 2020. It is currently lies centred at about 960 km south of Odisha’s Paradip, 1110 km south-southwest of West Bengal’s Digha and 1,230 km south-southwest of Bangladesh’s Khepupara. Amphan cyclone’s name was suggested by Thailand.

3. Non-functional FASTag Vehicle to be charged double toll fee: Double toll fee will be charged on the vehicles with invalid or non-functional FASTag on the national highways. Prior to this, vehicle user without FASTag were paying twice toll fee. Also, vehicle not fitted with FASTag entering into 'FASTag lane' shall pay twice fee equivalent to the category of vehicles. The new amendment in National Highways Fee Rules is issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. FASTag employs radio frequency for making toll payment.

4. ARCI & SCTIMST jointly develops biodegradable metal implants: International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram have jointly developed next-generation Iron-Manganese (Fe-Mn) based alloys for biodegradable metal implants. These Fe-Mn based alloys are suitable for biodegradable stent and orthopedic implant applications. The team is yet to achieve control in corrosion rate to employ advanced manufacturing processes to form complicated shapes.

Note: ARCI Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana; ARCI Chairperson: Dr Anil Kakodkar; ARCI Director: Dr G. Padmanabham.

SCTIMST Headquarters: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala; SCTIMST President: Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat; SCTIMST Director: Dr Asha Kishore.

5. Jayatu Jayatu Bharatam song released: 'Jayatu Jayatu Bharatam - Vasudev Kutumbakkam' song has been composed by 211 singers to increase the nations will power and evoke the spirit of self-reliance in the current pandemic. The song features Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Usha Uthup, Prasoon Joshi, etc. This historic anthem is released in 14 languages. It is dedicated as a salutation to every Indian who has stood together as a family in these difficult times.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Benjamin Netanyahu Secures Fifth Term as Israeli Prime Minister: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured a historic fifth straight term to form his government, after a controversial power-sharing deal with rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz. On 7 May 2020, President Reuven Rivlin officially granted Netanyahu, two-week mandate to form his government, following which, Netanyahu announced the formation of his coalition government on 17 May 2020. Under the three-year coalition deal, Netanyahu will serve as Prime Minister for the coming 18 months, which would keep him in power until November 13, 2021. Till then Benny Gantz will serve as the Defence Minister of the country. After 18 months, both of them will swap their roles and Netanyahu will become Defence Minister while Gantz will be the new Prime Minister.

Note: Capital of Israel: Jerusalem; Currency of Israel: Israeli shekel.

2. Indian-origin Hinduja-Reuben Brothers Shares Second Spot in Annual UK Rich List 2020: The pair of Indian-origin siblings, Reuben and the Hinduja brothers, shares the second spot in the Britain’s annual rich list, with a fortune of 16 billion pounds each. ‘The Sunday Times Rich List 2020’ has been topped by British inventor-entrepreneur James Dyson tops with 16.2 billion pounds. Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja, the Hinduja Group of companies owner in UK, lost 6 billion pounds to slip to second position from the top slot in 2019. Mumbai-born David and Simon Reuben lost 2.66 billion pounds over the past year, but their second position in the tally remains unchanged from 2019. The Rich List estimates the 1,000 richest people in the UK, based on identifiable wealth including land, property, other assets such as art, and shares in companies. It does not include the amount contained in people’s bank accounts.

3. Book titled “Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City” released in ebook format:  The book called “Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City” authored by Chinese literary writer Fang Fang released in the ebook format. It is a compilation of online diary entries and social media posts that document 60 days Wuhan lockdown during COVID-19. In the following days & weeks, author’s nightly postings gave voice to the fears, frustrations, anger, and hope to millions of her fellow citizens, which reflect the psychological impact of forced isolation, the role of the internet as both community lifeline and source of misinformation, and the lives of neighbours and friends taken by the deadly virus. The book is expected to be translated into 15 languages.

4. International Museum Day: 18th May: The International Museum Day is celebrated on 18 May to raise awareness about the fact that “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.” Theme of International Museum Day 2020: “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion”. It is coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). It was first observed in 1977.

Note: President of International Council Of Museums: Suay Aksoy.

5. World AIDS Vaccine Day: 18th May: World AIDS Vaccine Day, (also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day), is observed annually on May 18 to promote the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. The concept of World AIDS Vaccine Day was proposed on May 18, 1997, during commencement speech at Morgan State University made by then-President Bill Clinton, which underlined the need of a vaccine to curb the spread of HIV. The first World AIDS Vaccine Day was thus observed on May 18, 1998 to commemorate the anniversary of Clinton’s speech.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Zubair Iqbal Appointed as the New MD of J&K Bank: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has appointed senior vice president of HDFC Bank Zubair Iqbal, as the new Managing Director (MD) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank, for a period of three years. RK Chibber, who currently holds the position of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of J&K Bank, will continue to serve as the Chairman of the bank for next three years. The appointments are based upon the continuous directions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to separate the positions of Chairman and Managing Director for better governance.

Note: Jammu and Kashmir Bank Headquarters: Srinagar; Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited was incorporated on 1st October 1938 and commenced its business from 4th July 1939 at in Kashmir (India).

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Investment firm Bernstein projects India’s GDP growth for FY21 at -7%: Bernstein, an investment management firm based in the United States, has projected India’s GDP growth rate for FY21 at -7.0%. This means India’s GDP will contract by 7% in FY21 as per Bernstein.

2. Goldman Sachs projects India’s GDP growth rate for FY21 at -5%: The global investment banking group, Goldman Sachs has predicted India’s GDP growth for FY21 at -5.0%. Earlier it has predicted the same at -0.4%. It means as per Goldman Sachs the GDP of India will contract by 5.0% in FY21.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Army to launch Three Years Short Service scheme: Indian Army is considering recruiting common citizens for three-year tenure under the ‘Tour of Duty (ToD) or ‘Three Years Short Service’ scheme. Under the project, 100 officers and 1,000 men will be initially tested for recruitment. ToD will be a voluntary engagement of civilians. Also, youths who will join this short service will experience tax-free 3-year period, and will be given preference in public sector jobs as well as post-graduate courses.

OBITUARIES

1. Marathi Writer Ratnakar Matkari passes away: Renowned Marathi dramatist, litterateur, theatre personality Ratnakar Matkari (81 years) passes away due to coronavirus. He was honoured with both Sangeet Natak Akademi and Sahitya Akademi. His film ‘Investment’ bagged National Award in Regional Category section. He wrote his first play titled ‘Vedi Manasa' that was broadcasted on Mumbai Akashwani. His famous works include: Arannyak based on Mahabharata, Lok Katha 78, Dubhang, Ashwamedh, Chaar Diwas Premache and Indira.

  

Daily GK Updates - 17th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. FM announces 5th tranche (last) of economic support under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan: In continuation to PM Modi’s announcement of Rs 20 lakh crore boost to the economy, and the announcement made by her on May 13, 2020, May 14, 2020. May 15, 2020 and May 16, 2020  the Finance Minister of India, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has made the announcement of the fifth tranche (which is the last one) of economic support the Indian Economy’s fight against COVID-19. These are the announcements made on May 17, 2020.

The 5th tranche is focussed on Government Reforms and Enablers for providing employment support to businesses, Ease of Doing Business, and State Governments as well sectors such as Education and Health. Seven measures have been announced under this.

(1) Allocation for MGNREGS increased by Rs 40,000 Crore to provide employment boost– Will help generate nearly 300 crore person-days in total.

(2) Health Reforms & Initiatives- Public Expenditure on Health will be increased by investing in grass-root health institutions. National Institutional Platform for One health by ICMR will encourage research. And the implementation of National Digital Health Blueprint under the National Digital Health Mission.

(3) Technology Driven Education with Equity post-COVID: PM eVIDYA, a programme for multi-mode access to digital/online education to be launched immediately. Manodarpan, an initiative for psycho-social support for students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional well-being to be launched immediately as well. New National Curriculum and Pedagogical framework for school, early childhood and teachers will also be launched.

(4) Further enhancement of Ease of Doing Business through IBC related measures: Minimum threshold to initiate insolvency proceedings has been raised to Rs. 1 crore (from Rs. 1 lakh, which largely insulates MSMEs).

(5) Decriminalisation of Companies Act defaults: Decriminalisation of Companies Act violations involving minor technical and procedural defaults such as shortcomings in CSR reporting, inadequacies in Board report, filing defaults, delay in holding of AGM.

(6) Ease of Doing Business for Corporates: Direct listing of securities by Indian public companies in permissible foreign jurisdictions. Private companies which list NCDs on stock exchanges not to be regarded as listed companies. Lower penalties for all defaults for Small Companies, One-person Companies, Producer Companies & Start Ups.

(7) Public Sector Enterprise Policy for a New, Self-reliant India: Government will announce a new policy whereby - List of strategic sectors requiring presence of PSEs in public interest will be notified In strategic sectors, at least one enterprise will remain in the public sector but private sector will also be allowed In other sectors, PSEs will be privatized (timing to be based on feasibility etc.)

(8) Support to State Governments: Centre has decided to increase borrowing limits of States from 3% to 5% for 2020-21 only. This will give States extra resources of Rs. 4.28 lakh crore. Part of the borrowing will be linked to specific reforms (including recommendations of the Finance Commission). Reform linkage will be in four areas: universalisation of ‘One Nation One Ration card’, Ease of Doing Business, Power distribution and Urban Local Body revenues.

(9) A specific scheme will be notified by Department of Expenditure on the following pattern: Unconditional increase of 0.50%; 1% in 4 tranches of 0.25%, with each tranche linked to clearly specified, measurable and feasible reform actions; Further 0.50% if milestones are achieved in at least three out of four reform areas.

The Finance Minister concluded by providing a breakup of the stimulus measures provided so far in order to become Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.

2. Lockdown 4.0: Lockdown extended until 31st May 2020: The extension of the lockdown due to COVID-19 has been announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs with an official notice stating that the lockdown has been extended for a further period of 14 days i.e. 31st May 2020. The ministry has also released a new set of guidelines for the nation-wide curfew. In the set of guidelines given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, it is stated that states will decide the Containment, Buffer, Red, Green and Orange zones for lockdown till 31 May and interstate travel, all domestic and international travel, metro rail operation is still prohibited.

Note: Union Minister of Home Affairs: Amit Shah.

3. IIT Gandhinagar develops COVID 19 Dashboard: An interactive COVID-19 dashboard named as “MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard” has been developed by the researchers at IIT Gandhinagar. The dashboard aims to provide key information to stakeholders and the public in order to make research-backed decisions during the time of crisis. This interactive dashboard can assist the administrators, hospitals and also the public in planning optimised examination for the novel coronavirus. It can also help in containing the community infection in various post-lockdown scenarios.

4. CSIR-CMERI develops mobile indoor disinfection sprayer units: CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has developed 2 mobile indoor Disinfection Sprayer units. The units are titled as Battery Powered Disinfectant Sprayer (BPDS) and Pneumatically Operated Mobile Indoor Disinfection (POMID). They will be used for cleaning and disinfecting pathogenic micro-organism from surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, and cardboards.

5. NDMA develops NMIS online dashboard: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed an online Dashboard titled National Migrant Information System (NMIS). The dashboard will maintain a central repository on migrant workers capturing the information of stranded migrants’ workers facilitating their smooth movement. It can also be used as contact tracing facilitating COVID-19 response work. The migrants must upload name, age, mobile no., originating and destination district, date of travel etc.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AIIB Signs USD 145 million Loan Agreement with Government of India to improve irrigation services and flood management in West Bengal: The Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has inked a loan agreement worth US$145 million to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) in West Bengal. The loan sanctioned under West Bengal Major Irrigation and Flood Management Project will benefit about 2.7 million farmers from five districts of West Bengal across 393,964 ha area. It will provide better irrigation services and improved protection against annual flooding to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Note: Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Headquarter of AIIB: Beijing, China; President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Jin Liqun.

2. World Hypertension Day: 17th May: The World Hypertension Day (WHD) is celebrated on 17 May worldwide to promote public awareness of increasing high blood pressure (BP) and to encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent killer. The theme for World Hypertension Day 2020 is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure, Control It, Live Longer’. The day was held for the first time in May 2005. World Hypertension Day (WHD) is an initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL), an affiliated section of the International Society of Hypertension. The WHL has announced that it will postpone the celebration of World Hypertension Day (WHD) 2020 until October 17, 2020, due to global COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: International Society of Hypertension President: Alta Schutte; International Society of Hypertension Established: 1966.

3. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: 17th May: The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on 17 May since 1969, to commemorate the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The theme of 2020 is “Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. The ITU was founded on 17 May 1865, when the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris. The main objective of the day is to raise global awareness of the changes brought about by the Internet and new technologies in societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

Note: ITU Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; ITU Head: Houlin Zhao; ITU Founded: 17 May 1865.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Approves Rs 400-crore Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has approved the launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), to provide private sector defence and aerospace companies affordable testing facilities to test and validate weaponry they are designing. The initiative will give a boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing by creating state of the art testing infrastructure for this sector. The total outlay of the scheme is Rs 400 crore, and would run for the duration of five years. Since setting up in-house Defence Testing Infrastructure is not economically viable for individual defence industrial units, the DTIS Scheme will set up Greenfield Defence Testing Infrastructure as a common facility under private sector with government assistance. The scheme envisages setting up six to eight test facilities in partnership with private industry. Each such project will receive 75 percent of its cost as government funding, while the remaining 25 percent will be borne by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) composed of Indian private entities and concerned state governments.

OBITUARIES

1. Iran’s OPEC Governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili Passes Away: Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, Iran’s representative at OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), has passed away after falling into a coma following a brain hemorrhage. He was 67. He had served as Iran’s OPEC governor for nearly 20 years. Kazempour had been Iran’s representative to OPEC since 2013, after previously holding the position from 1995 to 2008. He was serving as the deputy foreign minister and deputy oil minister of Iran in the 1980s.

2. Bangladesh’s National Professor and Recipient of Padma Bhushan Award, Dr Anisuzzaman Passes Away: Noted Bangladeshi academic of Bengali literature, Dr Anisuzzaman has passed away aged 83 after a long battle with kidney and lung complications and respiratory problems. Anisuzzaman made an immense contribution to Bangla language and literature through his research and writings and was inducted as a National Professor by the Government of Bangladesh in 2018. He was conferred with Padma Bhushan in 2014 by the Government of India for his distinguished service in fields of Bangla literature and education. He was born in Kolkata (1937) but shifted to Bangladesh after Indian Independence in 1947. He was the president of Bangla Academy since 2012. 

Daily GK Updates - 16th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. FM announces 4th tranche of economic support under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan: In continuation to PM Modi’s announcement of Rs 20 lakh crore boost to the economy, and the announcement made by her on May 13, 2020, May 14, 2020 and May 15, 2020 the Finance Minister of India, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has made the announcement of the fourth tranche of economic support the Indian Economy’s fight against COVID-19. These are the announcements made on May 16, 2020. The announcement focuses on reforming 8 sectors which are:

(1) Coal- Commercial mining of coal on a revenue-sharing basis is being introduced.  Government will introduce competition, transparency and private sector participation through revenue sharing mechanism instead of the current fixed rupee per tonne. Coal Bed Methane will also be auctioned.

(2) Mineral- To enhance private investments in the mineral sector, a seamless composite exploration -cum-mining – cum production regime will be introduced. 500 mining blocks will be offered through an open and transparent auction process immediately.

(3) Make in India for Defence Production- Foreign Direct Investment limit in defence manufacturing under automatic route is being raised from 49% to 74% to boost indigenous defence production.

(4) Airports and airspace- 6 airports will be put up for bidding by the Airports Authority of India for operation and maintenance on PPP mode.

(5) Maintenance- Repairs and Operations (MRO)- Tax regime for MRO ecosystem has been rationalised. Convergence between defence sector and the civil MROs will be established to create economies of scale

(6) Power Sector- Power distribution companies in Union Territories will be privatised.

(7) Social Infrastructure Projects- Boosting private sector investment in social infrastructure projects through revamped viability gap funding scheme of Rs 8,100 crore. The government will enhance the quantum of viability gap funding up to 30 per cent each of total project cost as VGF by Centre and state

(8) Space & Atomic Energy- Private Sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities. India to establish a research reactor in PPP mode for production of medical isotopes.

2. M/o Tribal Affairs Launches ‘Goal’ programme in partnership with Facebook for Digital Skilling of Tribal Youth across India: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has launched “GOAL (Going Online As Leaders)” programme in partnership with Facebook, to upskill and empower 5,000 tribal youths in the country through digital mode. The initiative was launched by Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda at a Webinar in New Delhi on 15 May 2020. Under the GOAL programme, tribal youth will be provided mentorship to explore their hidden talents, which will help in their personal development as well as contribute to all-round upliftment of their society. The program will enable Scheduled Tribe (ST) youth in remote areas to use digital platforms for sharing their aspirations, dreams and talent with their mentors.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg; Facebook Headquarters: California, US.

3. Delhi Police Gets India’s First Ever ‘Thermal Corona Combat Headgear’ to detect body temperature from safe distance: Delhi Police has launched and inducted in service first-of-its-kind thermal detection headgear named Thermal Corona Combat Gear (TCCH) through which the police personnel will be able to detect temperature of a large number of people from a distance of 10-15 metres. The initiative has been launched by the Delhi police in collaboration with Indian Robotics Solution (IRS), to provide safety to frontline warriors. The unique equipment will ensure the safety of the frontline warriors and enforce social distancing while detecting the elevated body temperature (EBT), without coming in close contact with them in public areas such as hospitals, supermarkets and crowded areas. With the help of this equipment, live imagery can also be sent to a centralised control centre.

4. Gujarat launches Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana: Gujarat Government has launched Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana to provide credits to small businessmen. Under the scheme, one lakh rupees collateral free loan will be given at two per cent for the beneficiaries for three years. The beneficiaries will have to make only one application to avail the loan from state and District Cooperative Banks and credit agencies. Also, moratorium on payment of principal cost and interest for the first six months will be given by the govt on the loans. Gujarat government has a target of lending around Rs 5000 crore via the loan that carries a tenure of 3 years.

Note: Chief Minister of Gujarat: Vijaybhai R. Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat.

5. Nabard sanctions Rs 1,500 cr for Punjab to ensure credit flow to farmers: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for Punjab to ensure continuous credit flow to farmers, through state cooperative banks, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of Nabard’s Rs 25,000 crore nationwide special liquidity facility (SLF), which has been made available to state cooperative banks, regional rural banks, and microfinance institutions (MFIs), to ensure flow of credit to farmers for agricultural operations during COVID-19 pandemic,

6. Union HRD Minister launches 7 books under Corona Studies series: Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches print as well as e-editions of the set of seven books under the corona studies series published by NBT India. The 7 set is titled as "Psycho-Social impact of pandemic & lockdown and how to Cope With". The Corona Studies Series has been framed to document and provide relevant reading materials for all age-groups for the post-Corona readership needs. The set has been launched to guide people for mental well-being.

Note: Chairman of National Book Trust India: Prof. Govind Prasad Sharma.

7. Uttar Pradesh govt decides to give 50% subsidy on PPE kits: Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to provide 50% subsidy on PPE kits. The subsidy will be given to the healthcare centre who will treat patients on the rates decided under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Government will also extend the registration for hospitals registered under Ayushman Bharat for 6 months.

8. National Dengue Day: 16th May: In India, the National Dengue Day is observed every year on 16 May. The day is an initiative by the Ministry of Healthy and Family Welfare, to raise awareness about dengue and its preventive measures, and preparedness for control of the vector-borne disease before the transmission season begins. Dengue is caused by the bite of Aedes mosquito.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dr Harsh Vardhan Attends 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ meeting through video conferencing: The 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Meeting was organised through Video-conference mode. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan represented India in the conference. The theme of the meeting was: Delivering a co-ordinated Commonwealth COVID-19 response. Health Minister highlighted the timely, graded and pro-active measures taken by India towards COVID-19 management. He also talked about the economic packages launched by the government.

2. Endangered Species Day 2020: 15th May: The Endangered Species Day is observed on the third Friday of May to raise awareness about endangered species and how to protect them. In 2020, the day falls on May 15.  The day was proposed by National Wildlife Federation, United States’ largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization. An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular region due to various risk factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species.

3. Armed Forces Day 2020: 16th May: Armed Forces Day is observed on the third Saturday in May. In 2020, it falls on the 16th of May. This day is celebrated to pay tribute to the men and women who served the United States Armed Forces.

Note: Capital of USA: Washington, D.C; President: Donald Trump; Currency: United States dollar.

4. International Day of Living Together in Peace: 16th May: The International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16 May every year to promote peace through a harmonious living together regardless of nationality, gender, language or religion, to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony. The first ever International Day of Living Together in Peace was observed in 2018. The day is recognized by the UN General-Assembly in December 2017.

5. International Day of Light: 16th May: The International Day of Light (IDL) is celebrated on 16 May each year to mark the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman. The day celebrates the role that light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy to help achieve the goals of UNESCO – ‘education, equality, and peace’. Due to the COVID-19 crises, the 2020 celebrations is being observed digitally through #IDL2020 and #SEETHELIGHT.

Note: Director-General of UNESCO: Audrey Azoulay.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI extends interest subsidy scheme for exporters till March 31, 2021: The Reserve Bank said a scheme providing interest subsidy for post and pre-shipment export credit has been extended by a year till March 31, 2021, a move which would provide relief to exporters. Exporters get the subsidy under the ‘Interest Equalisation Scheme for pre and post shipment Rupee Export Credit’. The scheme ended on March 31 this year.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Facebook acquires animated graphics startup GIPHY: Facebook has announced that it has acquired the animated graphics startup GIPHY. Facebook will now integrate GIPHY in its Instagram visual social network. GIPHY is known for its use of stickers and other products using the graphics interchange format or GIFs.

OBITUARIES

1. Renowned Bengali Author and Sahitya Akademi Winner Debesh Roy Passes Away: Veteran Bengali author Debesh Roy, known for his famous novel ”Teesta Parer Brittanto” has passed away. He was 84. Roy was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi award for ‘Teesta Parer Brittanto’ (translating to ‘Chronicles of the Banks of the Teesta’) in 1990. His famous works include Jajati, Borisaler Jogen Mondal, Manush Khun Kore Keno, and Samay Asamayer Brittanto.