Daily GK Updates - 24th July, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) Gujarat attains its first criticality: The Unit 3 of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) in Gujarat achieved its ‘first criticality’ at 9.36 am on 22 July 2020. KAPP-3 is India’s first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) as well as biggest indigenously developed variant of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). Significance of attaining criticality: A nuclear reactor attains criticality when every nuclear fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions or a self-sustaining chain reaction. These reactions then produces heat, which is used to generate steam that then spins a turbine to create electricity

 

2. Actor Sonu Sood Launches ‘Pravasi Rojgar’ app to help migrants find job opportunities: In order to help the migrant workers find right job opportunities in various sectors across the country, a new ‘Pravasi Rojgar’ app has been launched. This online platform is the brainchild of Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who launched the free online platform on 23 July 2020 in Mumbai. The initiative will be supported by community outreach in the villages to find the right employment opportunities for migrant workers in different parts of the country. The app features job opportunities from over 500 reputed companies related to construction, apparel, healthcare, engineering, BPOs, security, automobile, e-commerce and logistics sectors. Support centres, with a 24-hour helpline, have been set up in seven cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram. Apart from this, the platform will also offer specific job training programmes like spoken English.

 

3. DRDO sets up Covid testing facility at DIHAR in Leh: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has set up a Covid-19 testing facility in Leh, Ladakh. The testing facility was inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur on 22 July 2020 and will increase the rate of testing to identify corona cases in the region. The facility has been established at the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh, one of the life sciences laboratories of DRDO. The DIHAR testing facility is capable of screening 50 samples per day. It can also be utilised for training manpower for Covid testing. Besides, the facility will be of great help to address future bio-threats and carrying out R&D activities pertinent to agro-animal diseases.

Note: Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation: G Satheesh Reddy.

Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: RK Mathur.

 

4. Airtel Payment Bank ties up with NSDC to develop skill in rural youth: Airtel Payments Bank Ltd and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have collaborated in order to train and skill young people in rural areas on financial services and helping them in finding jobs and become entrepreneurs in the sector. The collaboration has an objective to design & conduct focused skill development programs for rural youth and enabling them to adopt the tools to boost online banking and digital financial services. After the completion of skill development programmes, both the organizations will leverage their industry connections to help the trainees find jobs.

Note: Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Payments Bank: Anubrata Biswas.

MD & CEO of National Skill Development Corporation: Manish Kumar.

 

5. Government extends tenure of NCLT Acting President BSV Prakash Kumar for one month: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, has extended the tenure of the Acting President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) BSV Prakash Kumar for one more month, with effect from 5 July 2020. This is the second extension given to BSV Prakash Kumar. He was appointed as Acting President of NCLT for a period of three months from January 5 after the retirement of Justice MM Kumar as NCLT President. In April 2020, the government had extended the tenure of BSV Prakash Kumar for three months, which ended on July 5. However, since no permanent President has yet been finalized, so the government has further extended his tenure for a month till 5 August 2020.

 

6. Alok Misra becomes new CEO & Director of MFIN: Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) has appointed Alok Misra as its new Chief Executive Officer & Director. The appointment will be effective from 1st August 2020. Dr Misra takes over from the present CEO, Harsh Shrivastava, who has put down his papers after spending over 2 years at MFIN. Misra is currently serving as the professor and chairperson of public policy and governance at MDI Gurgaon. He has 28 years of professional experience in international development, rural finance, microfinance, inclusive finance, and research and has worked with 22 countries.

Note: MFIN Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana.

 

7. AIIMS Nagpur launched smart wristband to tracks Covid-19 patients:  All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur has designed and developed a ‘smart wristband’ for effective tracking and monitoring of Covid-19 positive and suspect patients. The new device, a wristband is designed in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur and IIT Nagpur, looks to overcome the limitations of existing online mobile apps used for tracking and monitoring coronavirus patients. The device will operate on a technology that is more effective than the GPS system. The data collected through wristband will be collected and archived on cloud facilitating monitoring by health workers from a distance.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Turkmenistan gets observer status in World Trade Organization: World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council has granted the “Observer” status to the central Asian country Turkmenistan. With this, Turkmenistan has become the last former Soviet republic to establish formal ties with the trade body. Turkmenistan has become the 25th observer of the organization. Turkmenistan will now be able to reap the benefits of acquisition of the status as it would help the country to develop its economy, promote multilateral cooperation, attract foreign investment and develop international trade relations.

Note: Director-General of World Trade Organization: Roberto Azevedo; World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland

President of Turkmenistan: Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov; Capital: Ashgabat; Currency: Turkmen manat.

 

2. Nicaragua becomes 87th country to sign International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement: Nicaragua has become the most recent country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement, an initiative led by India to promote sustainable energy. The agreement on behalf of the Central American country Nicaragua was signed by the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Jaime Hermida Castillo at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York on 22, July 2020. With this, Nicaragua has become the 87th country to sign the agreement.

Note: International Solar Alliance Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana.

Capital of Nicaragua: Managua; Currency of Nicaragua: Nicaraguan Cordoba; President of Nicaragua: Daniel Ortega.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. FamPay launches ‘numberless card’ for teenagers: India’s first Neobank for teenagers, FamPay has launched India’s first numberless card, “FamCard”. Teenagers can now use FamCard like a debit card to make payments independently, without asking parents for physical cash or their debit/credit card. FamCard is a numberless card, all the card details are saved on the FamPay app and there is no need to refer to the physical card to fill in details during online transactions. If in any case card gets stolen, there’s no fear as the card can be paused, blocked, and managed at fingertips on the app. The numberless card will give cashless convenience to millions of teens and their parents. Minors can also pay online/offline by using FamCard as it doesn’t require any bank account. Every transaction is protected with device locks like a fingerprint, Face ID, pattern lock, or PIN. The numberless card can be ordered once the account is set up on the app, after both the parent and teen complete their KYC online. FamPay app is available for both Android and iOS on the Google Play Store and Apple Store respectively. The FamCard is an innovative consumer solution for India’s Gen-next population.

Note: FamPay Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; FamPay Founders: Kush Taneja & Sambhav Jain.

 

2. Bank of Baroda rolls out ‘Insta Click Savings Account’: India’s third-largest public sector bank, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’. Insta Click Savings Account is a 100% paperless digital self-assisted online savings account. This account uses a new form of digital KYC (know-your-customer) and Aadhaar-based OTP (one-time personal identification number) authentication of the customer, which can be operated from the bank’s website, through mobile phone, IPad, laptop, and PC. The account is activated in real-time, which means the customer can start transacting, using the Baroda M Connect Plus application with the MPIN received on the mobile number, immediately.

Note: Bank of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat; Bank of Baroda MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha.

 

3. Amazon Pay ties up with Acko to sell auto insurance: Digital payments major, Amazon Pay has launched vehicle insurance in partnership with Bengaluru-based startup Acko General Insurance. Amazon Pay, a payments unit of Amazon India, will help customers purchase insurance effortlessly and Amazon Prime members will get extra benefits including additional discounts. Amazon has been selling third-party insurance products but this partnership will enable an easy-to-use integrated buying experience for its customers. Policyholders will also have an option for instant cash settlements for low-value claims, making it beneficial for customers. Additionally, customers can select from a list of add-ons like zero-depreciation and engine protection and they will be able to pay for the insurance using Amazon Pay balance, UPI, or cards.

Note: Amazon Pay Headquarters: Seattle, Washington United States; CEO & MD for Amazon Pay India: Mahendra Nerurkar.

Acko General Insurance Ltd Founder: Varun Dua; Acko General Insurance Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. CCI approves acquisition of Krishnapatnam port by Adani Ports & SEZL: Acquisition of Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited (KPCL) by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (Adani Ports) has been approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). According to the proposed combination, Adani Ports will acquire equity shareholding along with management control of KPCL. Adani Ports is a customer-facing integrated port infrastructure services provider and manages the logistics chain. KPCL operates the deep water port at Krishnapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, as per the the concession agreement on Build-Operate-Share-Transfer basis with Government of Andhra Pradesh for a period of thirty years from the date of commercial operations. It is also entitled for a further period of 20 years. Adani Ports is a customer-facing integrated port infra-services provider in 6 maritime states of Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha.

Note: Chairperson of Competition Commission of India: Ashok Kumar Gupta.

 

DEFENSE

 

1. Indian Navy’s Largest solar power plant commissioned at Indian Naval Academy in Kerala: The largest solar power plant of the Indian Navy has been commissioned at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala. The 3 MW Solar Power Plant was commissioned via virtual conferencing, by Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla on 23 July 2020.  It is a 3 MW Solar Power Plant which has been set-up in line with the Indian Government’s initiative of ‘National Solar Mission’ which aims to achieve 100GW of solar power by 2022. The 3 MW Solar Power Plant established at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala is the largest in the Indian Navy and has an estimated life of 25 years. Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (KELTRON) has executed this project. The project will also support Naval Station Ezhimala in decreasing the carbon foot print.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Eminent danseuse & choreographer Amala Shankar passes away:  Eminent danseuse and choreographer Amala Shankar passed away. She was honored with the West Bengal government’s Banga Bibhusan award in 2011 for her contributions to art. First performance of Amala Shankar was in Kaliya Daman which was staged in Belgium in 1931. She also acted in the film “Kalpana” which was released in 1948.

 

2. Legendary Jazz Singer Annie Ross passes away: Legendary Jazz Singer, Annie Ross passed away. She was a popular jazz singer in the 1950s before crossing over into a successful film career. Ross appeared in “Superman III,” “Throw Momma From the Train” and Robert Altman’s films “The Player” and the Oscar-nominated “Short Cuts.” In 2014, Ross released the album “To Lady With Love,” a tribute to Billie Holiday. 

Daily GK Updates - 23rd July, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Punjab Govt signs MoU with IIT Ropar for skill development: The Punjab government has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, in the area of skill development. The agreement provides IIT’s technical education department to become an academic mentor for the state’s engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs. It will also help in developing ITI and polytechnic model for institutes empowering skill development in youths.

Note: IIT Ropar Director: SK Das.

Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Chief Minister of Punjab: Amarinder Singh; Governor of Punjab: VP Singh Bandnore.

 

2. Rare yellow turtle discovered in India: In Odisha’s Balasore district, a farmer Basudev Mahapatra has spotted a turtle which is yellow in colour and according to the experts, it is the product of albinism. The turtle is known as the “Indian flap shell turtle”. The turtle is commonly found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is omnivorous and its diet consists of frogs, snails and even some aquatic vegetation.

Note: What is Albinism: Albinism is a type of genetic disorder where it is little or no production of pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair or in other species in the fur, feathers, or scales.

 

3. Home Minister to launches Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2020: ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2020' will be launched by the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi. Ministry of Coal will organize the abhiyan along with all Coal/Lignite PSUs. Under the “Vriksharopan Abhiyan”, large scale plantation would be carried out in mines, colonies, offices and other suitable areas of Coal/Lignite PSUs in order to promote “plantation by the society”. They will also lay the Foundation stone of 6 Ecoparks/ Tourism sites providing avenues for recreation, adventure, bird watching etc for revenue and employment generation. The event will be launched across 130 locations of 10 coal/lignite bearing States.

Note: Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs: Pralhad Joshi.

 

4. Sumit Deb appointed as CMD of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC): Sumit Deb has been appointed as the next Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), an Indian state-controlled mineral producer. Deb will have tenure till February 28, 2023, i.e. the date of his superannuation. He will succeed N Baijendra Kumar as the CMD of NMDC who will retire as CMD on 31st July 2020. Presently, Deb is serving as the Director (Personnel) in the NMDC.

Note: National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is an iron ore mining major of India under the administrative control of Ministry of Steel

NDMC HQs: Hyderabad

 

5. National Broadcasting Day: 23rd July: In India, the “National Broadcasting Day” is observed on July 23 every year, to celebrate the radio, which has been an important part in people’s life in India, both as an easy medium of entertainment along with news. It is celebrated because it was on this day in the year 1927, that the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launches its first independent Mars mission ‘Tianwen-1’: On 23 July 2020, China launched an unmanned probe named as ‘Tianwen-1’ to Mars in its first independent mission to another planet. The Tianwen-1 (or Quest for Heavenly Truth 1) was launched on a Long March-5 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan. If the launch is successful, it will make China the first country to orbit, land and deploy a rover in its inaugural mission. The probe is expected to reach Mars in February 2021. It will then attempt to deploy a rover to explore the planet for 90 days. After that Tianwen-1, will look for underground water as well as evidence of possible ancient life. China had launched an orbiter destined for Mars on a Russian rocket in 2011, but the mission failed because the rocket malfunctioned.

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

 

2. Arun Kumar nominated as Vice-Chairman of UIC:  The Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar has been nominated as the Vice-Chairman of UIC (Union Internationale Des Chemins/International Union of Railways), Security Platform from July 2020 to July 2022. He will take over as Chairman of the Security Platform from July 2022 to July 2024. The decision to nominate Arun Kumar was taken during the 96th UIC General Assembly. UIC develops and formulates analysis and policy positions of rail sector.

Note: Headquarter of International Union of Railways: Paris, France; Director General of International Union of Railways: Francois Davenne.

 

3. India among 10 Worst Countries for Working People: ITUC Global Rights Index: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has released its Global Rights Index for the year 2020, which ranks countries on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. This is the seventh edition of the annual report and ranks 144 countries. The ITUC Global Rights Index ranks countries on a scale from 1 (best) to 5+ (worst). Each country is analysed against a list of 97 indicators derived from ILO conventions. The index provides an opportunity to increase the visibility and transparency of each country’s record on workers’ rights. Key Points of the ITUC Global Rights Index:

India has been ranked among the 10 worst countries for working people. It is rated with 5 on the scale. The ten worst countries for workers in 2020 are Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe. The Middle East and North Africa is the worst region in the world for working people. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, Uruguay are the best countries with rating of 1. The most violated rights in the world includes: (1) RIGHT TO STRIKE; (2) RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING; (3) RIGHT TO ESTABLISH OR JOIN UNIONS; (4) RIGHT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES; (5) RIGHT TO TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES; (6) RIGHT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES

Note: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) headquarter: Brussels, Belgium

 

4. Oxford Covid-19 vaccine’s human trial shows positive result: The human trial of COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford and backed by AstraZeneca Plc has shown a positive result. The researchers found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55. Oxford’s vaccine is designed to reduce disease and transmission. Director at the Jenner Institute of Oxford University, Dr Adrian Hill, explains the mechanism of this vaccine “this vaccine triggers both arms of the immune system”. The vaccine was officially known as AZD1222, prompted a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot and did not prompt any serious side effects.

 

5. Comet NEOWISE approaches closest to the Earth: Comet NEOWISE (C/2020F3) is the brightest comet that can be seen with naked eye in Earth’s night sky across the globe as it has approached closest to the earth. It is visible only after 6800 years gap. Nehru Science Centre in its Lecture series organised ‘Comet NEOWISE – A Primer’ to discuss this comets. It was first spotted by NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NPCI rolls out UPI AutoPay facility for recurring payment: National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched UPI AutoPay facility for recurring payment. The new facility will enable recurring e-mandate with the help of any Unified Payments Interface (UPI) application for recurring payments like mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI payments etc upto Rs. 2000. For the amount exceeding Rs. 2000, the customer has to execute every mandate with UPI PIN. UPI users will be able to create e-mandate through UPI ID, QR scan or Intent.

Note: MD & CEO of National Payment Corporation of India: Dilip Asbe.

 

2. LIC signs agreement with UBI to distribute latter’s policies:  Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Union Bank of India, after its amalgamation with Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank, have announced a corporate agency agreement to distribute LIC policies. The bank will market LIC products of term insurance, pension, plan, children plan, ULIPs, and endowment schemes. Union Bank of India can act as a financial supermarket by offering a basket of products to its account holders, whereby they can select products according to their choice. Note: LIC Chairman: MR Kumar; LIC Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Union Bank of India MD & CEO: Rajkiran Rai G; Union Bank of India Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

3. Prakash Chandra Kandpal Takes Charge as new MD & CEO of SBI General Insurance: Prakash Chandra Kandpal has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBI General Insurance. His appointment is effective from 20 July 2020. He will succeed Pushan Mahapatra, who will took charges as the director (strategic investments, digital initiatives) and will continue to be the full-time director. PC Kandpal has more than 33 years of banking experience in retail and international banking, HR, tech, development fields with SBI. Kandpal has been with SBI General Insurance as the deputy CEO since June 2019.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Rahul Bajaj steps down as Chairman of Bajaj Finance, son Sanjiv to take over: Renowned business tycoon Rahul Bajaj, the current Chairman of Bajaj Finance Ltd, has decided to step down from his position and hand over the reins to his son Sanjiv Bajaj, as part of succession planning at the non-banking financial company. Mr Bajaj will be demitting the office as chairman with effect from close of business hours on 31 July  2020. His son Sanjiv Bajaj will be new non-executive chairman of Bajaj Finance from 01 August 2020. Presently he is the vice chairman of the company. Rahul Bajaj has been at the helm of the company since its inception in 1987 and the group for over five decades. However, Rahul Bajaj will continue to serve as a non-executive non-independent director.

Note: Bajaj Finserv Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra; Bajaj Finserv established: 2007.

 

2. Nomura estimates India’s GDP to contract by 6.1% in FY21: The Indian economy is expected to contract by 6.1 percent in the current fiscal (2020-21), as per the Japanese financial services firm Nomura. The contraction in the GDP is due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has impacted both supply and demand forces in the economy since March 2020.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Greta Thunberg awarded Inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity worth $1.15M: Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has won the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, given by the Portugal-based Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Thunberg was selected from 136 nominees from 46 different countries for this award for the way she has been able to mobilise younger generations for the cause of climate change. The 17 year old is pledging to donate $1.15 million award money to different organizations and projects globally who are working to help people on the front line, affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis. The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity aims to recognise people, groups of people and/or organisations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation and impact.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Indian Air Force (IAF) commanders’ conference in New Delhi: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) New Delhi. The Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) will be held with the theme “Indian Air Force in the Next Decade”. AFCC is a three days conference which will be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The plan of action for operational capability enhancement of the IAF in the next decade would be deliberated during the conference.

2. DRDO successfully test-fires HELINA ‘Dhruvastra’ from ITR Chandipur: India has successfully conducted three flight tests of its indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile ”Dhruvastra” from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha, in direct and top attack mode. The sophisticated missile was test-fired twice on July 15 and once on July 16, 2020. This was done without a helicopter. The missile would soon be tested from the ALH after a couple of more trials from the ground-based launcher.

Dhruvastra: The helicopter-launched Nag Missile (HELINA), an air-launched version of the Nag missile (with extended range), has been named as ‘Dhruvastra’ anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). It is a third-generation fire and forgets class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The ‘Dhruvastra’ anti-tank guided missile will be fired from the indigenous `Dhruv’ Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. The missile will further help strengthen the defence capabilities of the country. It has a range of 7 Km and is equipped with four foldable wings and weight of 43kg.

Note: Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation: G Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters of Defence Research and Development Organisation: New Delhi. 

Daily GK Updates - 21st July, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s first public EV Charging Plaza inaugurated in Delhi: Union Power Minister RK Singh has inaugurated India’s first public EV (Electric Vehicle) charging plaza at Chelmsford Club in New Delhi. EV charging plaza is a new innovative avenue for making e-mobility ubiquitous and convenient in India. The public EV Charging Plaza has been established by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to make e-mobility ubiquitous and convenient in India. The plaza will host 5 Electric Vehicle Chargers of different specifications. Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE) was also launched.

 

2. Union HRD Minister launches “Manodarpan” initiative for students: Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal launches the Manodarpan initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It will cover a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to students for their Mental Health & Well-being during the COVID outbreak and beyond. It will be a part of strengthening human capital and increasing productivity. Students, teachers, and parents across the country will join the initiative to keep a healthy and stress-free life.

 

3. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Inaugurates Zoram Mega Food Park in Mizoram: The Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park Ltd at Kolasib in Mizoram through virtual conference on 20 July 2020. The Food Park has been built at a cost of Rs 75 crore and is spread over 55 Acres of land. The food park will directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and will provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 people in the region. This is the first Mega Food Park operationalized in the State of Mizoram. It has Cold Storage, Drywarehouse, Aseptic pulp line, packing, Ripening Chambers, Spices drying facility, Food Testing Laboratory.

Note: Chief Minister of Mizoram: Pu Zoramthanga; Governor: P.S. Sreedharan Pillai.

 

4. P Praveen Siddharth appointed as PS to President of India: A 2001-batch, Indian Revenue Service officer, P Praveen Siddharth has been appointed as the new personal secretary to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. Siddharth is already serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the President’s Secretariat. He will replace Vikram Singh, who has now been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping.

 

5. MYAS partners with UNICEF to promote volunteerism among youth: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS) has tied-up with UNICEF to strengthen the Government’s resolution to mobilise 1 crore youth volunteers in attaining the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat. To promote volunteerism among the youth of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has signed a Statement of Intent with YuWaah (a multi-stakeholder platform formed by the UNICEF). The tie-up will help in the transition of youth of India from education and learning to productive work, skilling and being active citizens.

Note: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports: Kiren Rijiju.

Executive Director of UNICEF: Henrietta H. Fore.

 

6. CBDT sings MoU with MSMEs Ministry for data sharing: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India (MoMSME). As per the signed MoU, CBDT will share certain Income-tax Return (ITR) related information with MoMSME. The exchanged data will enable MoMSME to keep a check as well as to classify enterprises in Micro, Small and Medium categories as per the criteria. Nodal Officer and Alternate Nodal Officers will be appointed to facilitate the process.

Note: Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

Chairperson of CBDT: Pramod Chandra Mody.

 

7. Delhi Cabinet approves “Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana”: Delhi Cabinet has approved ‘Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana’, which will be launched in six to seven months and will be linked to Centre’s ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme. The scheme will help the beneficiaries get ration delivered at home. They will not have to come to the ration shops. The scheme is expected to benefit lakhs of people in the national capital through 2016 PDS shops. At present subsidised ration is provided under the National Security, 2013 Act and this new programme would add to the benefits of the Act.

Note: Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.

 

8. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 Comes into Force from 20 July 2020: The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 has come in to force with effect from 20 July 2020. The new Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaces more than three decades old Consumer Protection Act, 1986. It seeks to revamp the process of administration and settlement of consumer disputes, with strict penalties, including jail term for adulteration and misleading ads by firms. In Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a single point access to justice was given, which was time consuming. The new act has been introduced after many amendments to provide protection to buyers not only from traditional sellers but also from the new e-commerce retailers/platforms.

 

9. A book titled “The Endgame” authored by Hussain Zaidi: Crime writer, S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal, and unimaginable terror. The book has been published by HarperCollins India. “The Endgame” gives the readers a close-up of complex political machinery at work, including state security, defence services, and intelligence agencies like – all building up to an explosive climax.

 

10. A book titled “Suraj Kade Marda Nahi” authored by Baldev Singh Sadaknama: Sahitya Akademi Award winner, Baldev Singh Sadaknama has authored a book ‘Suraj Kade Marda Nahi’ (sun never dies). The book portrays many aspects of freedom fighter Udham Singh. The book is published by Unistarbooks. The book has been released and will be formally launched on July 31, 2020. Udham Singh 80th death anniversary will fall on July 31, 2020. The book portrays some facts pertaining to Colonel Reginal Dyer, also known as the butcher of Jallianwala bagh. It also covers how Udham Singh killed Michael O’ Dwyer, former lieutenant governor of Punjab on March 13, 1940, at Caxton Hall, London for which he was hanged on July 31, 1940.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India and Israel sign agreement to expand cooperation in cyber security: India and Israel have signed an agreement to further expand collaboration in dealing with cyber threats amid rapid digitisation due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that exposed the vulnerabilities of the virtual world. The MoU signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), a unit of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and INCD deepens the operational cooperation between the two sides and will expand the scope of exchange of information on cyber threats in order to raise the levels of protection in the field.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup postponed to 2022: International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) announced, the T20 Men’s World Cup, scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November 2020, has formally been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19. Besides rescheduling the T20 World Cup to October-November, 2022 the ICC Board also decided to push the 2023 ODI World Cup in India to October-November 2023 from its designated window in February-March, 2023.

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

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Ashwini Kumar Tewari becomes new MD & CEO of SBI Cards: SBI Cards and Payment Services has appointed Ashwini Kumar Tewari as its new Managing Director and chief executive officer. The new appointment will be valid for two years and his appointment will come into effect from August 1, 2020. He was nominated by parent State Bank of India for the position. He succeeded Hardayal Prasad. SBI Cards offer extensive credit card portfolio to individual cardholders and corporate clients that includes lifestyle, rewards, travel & fuel and banking partnerships and corporate cards.

Note: Chairman of State Bank of India: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

 

2. Bank of Maharashtra offers Overdraft against Fixed Deposits through Mahamobile App: Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), a premier public sector bank in the country, known for customer friendly services has launched an Overdraft facility (OD) against Fixed Deposits for its individual customers holding a SB account amidst pandemic. Under this OD facility, up to 90% value of FD can be availed attracting additional 2% interest rate over and above the FD rate. The OD facility can be availed from the comfort of home in three simple steps using Bank of Maharashtra’s Mahamobile App.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. MoD signs contract with BEML for procurement of Mine Plough: Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for procurement of Mine Plough (MP) for Tank T-90 S/SK. The contract to procure 1,512 Mine Plough (MP) for Tank T-90 S/SK has been signed with the approval of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh. The procurement will cost approximately Rs 557 crore. These mine ploughs when fitted on T-90 Tanks will provide individual mobility to Tanks while negotiating mine field. The contract has Buy and Make categorisation with a minimum of 50% indigenous content. It will facilitate individual mobility to Tanks while negotiating mine field. It is planned to be completed by 2027.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. US Civil Rights pioneer John Lewis passes away: US Civil Rights pioneer and US House of Representatives member, John Lewis (80 years) passed away. He was a member of congress from Atlanta, US. He was first elected to congress in 1986. He was one of the ‘Big Six’ leaders of groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington. He led various civil rights movement to end legalized racial segregation in the United States. Lewis received various awards and honours including Presidential Medal of Freedom (2011). His last public appearance was in a protests for racial justice that swept the US and the world in June.

 

2. MP Governor Lalji Tandon passes away:  Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away. He was undergoing treatment since June 11 and passed away after a prolonged illness. During his treatment period, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was given the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh. Lalji Tandon has served as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad for two terms and was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 2009. He was appointed Governor of Bihar in 2018, and then the Governor of Madhya Pradesh in 2019.

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

 

Daily GK Updates - 20th July, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Health Minister launches Plasma Donation Campaign at AIIMS Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has launched Plasma Donation Campaign at AIIMS Delhi. The campaign is an initiative of Delhi Police where 26 police personnel who had recovered from COVID volunteered to donate their blood plasma. It has the objective to encourage people to come forward to donate plasma to be used for the COVID-19 patients’ treatment. Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contains protective antibodies that can provide immunity to patients of Covid-19

 

2. India Business Council to host India Ideas Summit 2020: India Business Council will host the 45th India Ideas Summit 2020 on July 22nd. The Summit convenes business and government leaders for discussions on the future of the U.S.-India Partnership and the trends shaping globalization, trade and investment, and the future of work in the COVID-era and beyond. This year’s focus is on “Building a Better Future”. The Summit will feature a high-powered lineup of both public and private sector speakers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will deliver the keynote addresses. Among others, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will address the summit.

 

3. All capitals cities of North-Eastern states to be connected with rail network by 2023: The Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav has announced that Indian Railways has set the target to connect the capital cities of all the North-Eastern states of India to the rail network by 2023. In the present time, except Sikkim, all North-Eastern states have connectivity to the rail network. The capitals of Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh are already connected to the railway network. The capital connectivity work is in progress in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya. Manipur will be connected in March 2022, Mizoram in March 2023, Nagaland in March 2023, Meghalaya in March 2022 and Sikkim in December 2022. These rail connectivity projects have been railway’s top agenda during the last five years.

 

4. Andhra Pradesh Renewable Energy Export Policy, 2020: The Andhra Pradesh government has announced Andhra Pradesh Renewable Energy Export Policy, 2020, for export of energy to other states. Under this policy, the state government shall set up Renewable Energy Power Projects of 120 gigawatts (GWs) in the state. The power generated from these projects shall be exported outside the state. The Policy will be applicable to solar, wind as well as wind-solar hybrid projects. The Government will be leasing 5 lakh acres of potential land in Andhra Pradesh to renewable energy export project developers for this purpose. The new policy will help to attract private investments to the State and improve local economy, by generating additional revenue to the State Government. The New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of A.P. Ltd (NREDCAP) shall act as a Nodal Agency under this new policy. The policy shall come into operation with effect from date of issuance and shall remain in force for five years.

 

5. UP CM Yogi Adityanath launches employment scheme ‘Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana’ for ST/SC: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a new employment scheme called ‘Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana’ to provide employment to the Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) families. This initiative is part of the government to achieve economic equality and social equality of all the sections of the society. The government has set the target of benefitting 7.5 lakh families under the the Umbrella scheme in 2020-2021. So far funds have been transferred to 1,77,491 beneficiaries.

Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Aditya Nath; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

6. IIM-K’s start-up develops a wearable device, Veli Band, to monitor social distancing: With the COVID-19 graph continuing its spike, a startup, incubated at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K), has developed a wearable hand band that helps in maintaining social distancing by sending out alarm in case of proximity with another person. Known as the Veli Band, the device has been developed by Qual5 India Pvt.Ltd, a startup co-founded by a woman entrepreneur, mentored and funded by IIMKs business incubator and entrepreneurship development centre. The Veli band momentarily vibrates, plays a sound-alert, and flashes LED simultaneously, to notify the wearers that another band is within three feet, reminding them to maintain social distance.

 

7. CSIR-CMERI rolls out COVID Protection System (COPS) for Workplace: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur has unveiled COVID Protection System (COPS) for Workplace. It has solar Based Intelligent Mask Automated Dispensing Unit cum Thermal Scanner that identifies the body temperature, Face Mask; Touchless Faucet (TouF); 360° Car Flusher. CSIR-CMERI will develop Digital Entry Management Systems in which the workflow will be automated using AI and IoT.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. United Arab Emirates launches “Hope” mission to Mars: A mission titled as “Hope” has been launched to Mars by the United Arab Emirates. With this mission, UAE aims to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere for the first time, studying daily and seasonal changes. An unmanned “Hope” Probe blasted off from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center at 1:58 a.m. (UAE time) for a seven-month journey to the red planet and is expected to enter Mars orbit by February 2021, which also marks the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates. The journey of “Hope” would be tracked by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai. The Hope probe constitutes three different instruments namely an imager and two spectrometers. The “Imager” will facilitate detailed images of the planet’s surface while all three will provide data to the scientists in order to track what ingredients are located where in the atmosphere of Mars. The probe will not land on the Red Planet, but instead orbit it for a whole Martian year i.e. for 687 days. The “Hope” mission to Mars, also called Emirates Mars Mission costed $200 million and is UAE’s first foray into interplanetary exploration.

Note: President of UAE: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham.

 

2. 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meet held: The 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting was held under the Saudi Arabian Presidency. India was represented by Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman in the meeting. During the meet, the participants deliberated on the global economic outlook amid evolving COVID-19 pandemic crisis along with other G20 Finance Track priorities for the year 2020. During the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meet, Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the measures taken by India to fight the COVID-19 pandemic such as direct benefit transfers, special support to agriculture and MSME sectors, rural employment guarantee measures etc. G20 is the premier forum of 19 countries and European Union for economic cooperation.

 

3. International Chess Day: 20th July: The International Chess Day is celebrated annually on July 20, since 1966, to celebrate one of the most ancient and most popular games in history that promotes fairness, equality, mutual respect and understanding among nations. It was on this day that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924. The idea to celebrate the day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO. FIDE’s motto for 2020 celebrations is, “Teach someone how to play chess.” The International Chess Federation and the United Nations will be organizing online event this year called ‘Chess for Recovering Better’ due to the pandemic. The online event will be participated by, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, GM Viswanathan Anand, GM Vladimir Kramnik, GM Levon Aronian, and GM Hou Yifan.

Note: President of International Chess Federation (FIDE): Arkady Dvorkovich.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Germany footballer Andre Schurrle announces retirement: Germany forward player Andre Schurrle (29 years) has announced retirement from football. He helped Germany to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Andre Schurrle represented Germany in 57 matches and scored around 22 goals. He began his career at Mainz 05 in 2009. He also played for Chelsea from 2013 to 2015 and won Premier League winners medal in 2015. During extra-time in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final he provided assist for Mario Götze's winning goal against Argentina.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

11. Shyam Srinivasan re-appointed as MD & CEO of Federal Bank: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Federal Bank. His term is extended till September 22, 2021 which was about to end in September 2020. He took charges of MD and CEO of the bank in 2010. He has more than 30 years expertise in retail lending, wealth management and SME banking.

 

2. PSBs buy NBFC Bonds/CPs worth Rs 14,667 cr under extended PCGS: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, PCGS was revamped under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package to support the liability side of Non Banking Financial Companies, NBFCs. It provides a 20 per cent portfolio guarantee to Public Sector Banks for the purchase of Bonds or Commercial Papers rated AA and below which are issued by NBFCs. Under the extended PCGS, Public Sector Banks have approved the purchase Bonds or Commercial Papers issued by 67 NBFCs amounting to 14 thousand 6 hundred 67 crore rupees. Of these 6 thousand 8 hundred 45 crore rupees is for Bonds or Commercial Papers rated below AA, providing liquidity support to NBFCs with lower rated Bonds or Commercial Papers.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SAP appoints Kulmeet Bawa as new India MD: German software company SAP has appointed Kulmeet Bawa as president and managing director for its Indian operations from this month.  He replaces the incumbent Deb Deep Sengupta who will take up a new assignment within the organization. Bawa will also guide businesses in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka apart from India to adopt a digital-first mindset and will report to Scott Russell, President of SAP Asia Pacific Japan (APJ).

 

DEFENSE

 

1. Indian Navy conducted Passex exercise with US: Indian Navy has conducted passing exercises ‘Passex' with US Navy in the Indian Ocean region. It was conducted by Indian Navy ships Rana, Sahyadri, Shivalik and Kamorta together with USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Princeton (CG 59), USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114). USS Nimitz is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It will be deployed in Gulf region from South China Sea. Indian Navy had also conducted similar joint exercises with Japan and France recently.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Filmmaker Rajat Mukherjee passes away: Bollywood director Rajat Mukherjee passes away in Jaipur due to kidney-related issues. He is known for directing films like Urmila Matondkar, Fardeen Khan and Sonali Kulkarni-starrer Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Love in Nepal (2004), Vivek Oberoi and Antara Mali starrer Road (2002), etc. Rajat Mukherjee also directed a crime drama TV series called Ishq Kills. His last directed movie was Umeed (2017).

 

2. Veteran Odia Actor Bijay Mohanty passes away: Odia actor Bijay Mohanty (70 years) passes away. He started his career in Oriya film industry with Chilika Tire which won the National Award in 1977. He is most famous for negative roles in films including Samay Bada Balaban, Naga Phasa, Sahari Bagha, Danda Balunga and Chaka Bhaunri.  He also directed the movie Bhuli Huena. He also worked in TV serials of Doordarshan. He also contested for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat in 2014 general election.