Daily GK Updates - 13th Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi launches “Transparent Taxation- Honoring the Honest” platform to benefit honest taxpayers: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the platform for “Transparent Taxation- Honoring the Honest” via video conferencing on 13 August 2020. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has put in place this system to empower the taxpayer, provide a transparent system & honour honest taxpayers. The ‘Transparent Taxation- Honoring the Honest’ platform aims to carry forward the journey of direct tax reforms by easing compliance and expediting refunds, to make the tax system “people-centric and public friendly”. The 3 big feature of this platform is faceless assessment, faceless appeal, and taxpayers charter (to empower assessees by outlining their rights and duties, in a statute under the income tax law, to get time-bound services). The platform will use technology such as data analytics and AI. With the introduction of taxpayers’ charter, India joins countries like US, Australia and Canada to have such provisions in their law. Faceless appeal will be applicable from September 25, while faceless assessment and taxpayer charter will come into force from August 13.

Note: Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes: Pramod Chandra Mody.

 

2. Indian Railways observes Cleanliness Week to mark Independence Day: Indian Railways is observing “Cleanliness Week” from 10th August in order to mark the Independence Day. The “Cleanliness Week” will include a special Cleanliness drive which will focus on cleaning the the tracks, station offices, colonies, work sites, edge of stations and other areas near railway premises. The Cleanliness drive will give special attention on the collection of plastic waste along with other waste.  The Ministry of Railways also announced that the prime focus will be on intensive cleanliness of stations, trains, water vending points, toilets as well as drains. Railway men will also urge the passengers and general public to keep the trains, stations and tracks clean.

Note: Union Minister for Railways: Piyush Goyal.

 

3. Jal Shakti Minister launches Swachh Bharat Mission Academy: The Swachh Bharat Mission Academy has been launched by the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The SBM academy was launched during the current week-long behaviour change campaign ‘GandagiMukt Bharat’. The launch of SBM academy is a crucial part of the phase 2 of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). It will ensure behaviour change and promote the capacity building of the key stakeholders such as Swachhagrahis, PRIs members, community-based organizations, NGOs, SHGs etc. About Swachh Bharat Mission Academy:

Swachh Bharat Mission Academy is a phone-based academy and offers a 60-minutes module, which is an IVR based training course. The course covers a wide range of topics under Open Defecation Free sustainability (ODF-S) as well as Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). It consists of 4-chapters, each with four audio lessons along with a multiple-choice quiz at the end of the chapter. It is a free of charge, access to on-demand, anytime, anywhere training course that includes high quality and standardized content. It will also enhance the knowledge as well as interpersonal communication skills in order to improve the quality of interaction with the beneficiaries.

 

4. Atal Innovation Mission & Dell Technologies launches “SEP 2.0”: The second edition of Student Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP 2.0) has been rolled out by the Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in collaboration with Dell Technologies. The Student Entrepreneurship Programme has been launched for the young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) as it will enable them to work closely with Dell volunteers. The young innovators who are part of SEP 2.0 will get mentor support, prototyping and testing support, end-user feedback, intellectual property registration along with patenting of ideas, processes, and products.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog: Amitabh Kant.

 

5. Reliance Foundation launches “W-GDP Women Connect Challenge”: Reliance Foundation has launched the “W-GDP Women Connect Challenge” across India in association with US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP). The “W-GDP Women Connect Challenge” has been launched to bridge the gender divide as well as the digital divide in India. The recently launched W-GDP Women’s Connect Challenge (WCC) will assist the private sector-led approaches that close the gender digital divide and expand business opportunities, as well as empowering women. W-GDP will create an India-specific expression of the WCC in association with the Reliance Foundation. With this, it will incorporate the lessons of previous W-GDP WCC Rounds. About Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP):

The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative was established by the White House in February 2019. This is the first whole-of-government approach to women’s economic empowerment by reaching about 50 million women in the developing world by 2025. The initiative focuses on three pillars namely: women prospering in the workforce, women succeeding as entrepreneurs, and women enabled in the economy.

Note: Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation: Nita M Ambani.

Acting Administrator of US Agency for International Development: John Barsa.

 

6. Dr V K Paul chairs Expert Committee meet on Vaccine Administration: Dr V K Paul, Member Niti Aayog has chaired the meeting of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19. The Secretary (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) Rajesh Bhushan is the co-Chair of the committee. The committee held a meeting to deliberate on measures to ensure availability of vaccines as well as its delivery mechanism. It also discussed the mechanisms for the establishment of a digital infrastructure for inventory management. The V K Paul led committee also deliberated on delivery mechanism of the vaccine including tracking of vaccination process while focusing particularly on last mile delivery. Broad parameters guiding the selection of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, was also a key subject of discussion during the meet. Other key subjects were procurement mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine, guiding principles for prioritization of population groups for vaccination, financial resources required for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine and various options of financing the vaccine.

 

7. CII organised “India@75 Summit – Mission 2022”: The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari addressed the ‘India@75 Summit: Mission 2022’ on 8 August in New Delhi, via video-conferencing. The event was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to look towards improving presence of MSME industry in the 115 identified aspirational districts of the country. The summit worked under the umbrella theme ‘Collaborating for a New, Self-Reliant India". The summit was focused on ‘reinventing technology in India’. The MSME Ministry and Industries should be made import substitutes, cost-effective, pollution-free and indigenous.

Note: CII adopted India@75 vision on 8 May 2008; CII President: Uday Kotak

 

8. PESB selects Soma Mondal as next chairman of SAIL: Soma Mondal has been selected by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) as the next chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). She will be taking charge when the present Chairman Anil Chaudhary. Mondal had taken over as Director (Commercial) of SAIL in September 2018. Prior to this, she was Director (Commercial), NALCO, Bhubaneswar which was history in making as was NALCO’s first-ever female director.

Note: SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi; SAIL founded: 19 January 1954.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Israel shares AI-based technology, high-end equipment with AIIMS to help combat COVID-19: Israel has given state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence-based technologies and high-end equipment to AIIMS, Delhi as part of Israel-India cooperation to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Israeli Ambassador to India Dr Ron Malka formally handed over the high-end equipment and technology solutions to Director of AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria in the presence of Chief Guest Sanjay Bhattacharya, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.  It also includes a 12-hour disinfection product called CPD that stays active to protect the surface against new attacks of contamination, a non-invasive remote patient monitoring system which aids as a preliminary screening tool of respiratory indicators of suspected COVID-19 patients and recovering patients and AI-based software for Ultrasound use and designed especially for fighting COVID-19. Dr Guleria said India-Israel relations are strong. Earlier, India helped Israel with medicines and safety gear. Now Israel has sent equipment including robotic teleconsultation and telemonitoring equipment.

 

2. International Lefthanders Day: 13th August: The International Left Handers Day is observed on August 13 every year to celebrate the uniqueness and differences of the left handers and raise awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed world. The day was first observed in 1976 and was officially declared in 1997.

 

3. World Organ Donation Day: 13th August: The World Organ Donation Day is observed globally on 13th August every year. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and motivate people to donate organs after death. The day provides an opportunity to all to come ahead and pledge to donate their precious organs because one organ donor can save up to eight lives.

Note: Organ donation is retrieving a donor’s organ like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas after the donor is deceased and then transplanting into another person who is in need of an organ.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI announces ‘positive pay’ feature to help avert cheque frauds: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced to introduce a mechanism of ‘Positive Pay’ feature for all cheques of value Rs 50,000 and above. This feature helps to avert cheque frauds. The limit of Rs 50,000 will cover approximately 20 per cent of transactions by volume and 80 per cent by value. About Positive Pay:

Positive pay is a fraud-prevention system offered by most commercial banks to companies to protect them against forged, altered and counterfeit checks. When the beneficiary submits the cheque for encashment, the cheque details are compared with the details provided to the Bank through Positive Pay. If the details match, the cheque is honoured. In case of mismatch in cheque details, the cheque is referred to you.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikanta Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. CCI approves formation of joint venture between HAMCL & HL: The proposed combination filed by Keihin Corporation, Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd., Showa Corporation and Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd has received the approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The two companies have filed for the formation of a Joint Venture between Honda Motor Co. Limited (HAMCL) and Hitachi Limited (HL).

Honda Motor Co. Limited (HAMCL) is a limited liability, joint stock Corporation incorporated in Japan. It is engaged in developing, manufacturing and marketing motorcycles, scooters, automobiles and power products globally. Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. (HIAMS) develops, manufactures, sells and services the power train systems, chassis systems and advanced driver assistance systems, etc.

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

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 121 Police personnel honored with Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation for 2020: The Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation for 2020 has been awarded to 121 Police personnel. The medal is being given since 2018 with the objective to promote high professional standards of investigation of crime and to recognize such Excellence in Investigation by investigating officers. The list of Police personnel who have received the Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation, 2020 includes 21 women police officers.

 

2. Akshay Kumar only Bollywood star to feature in Forbes’ highest-paid actors of 2020: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is the only Indian star to be listed among the top 10 world’s highest paid actors of 2020, released by Forbes magazine on 11 August 2020. With total earnings of $48.5 million, Akshay is placed at sixth place in the list. Most of his income came from product endorsements. The list takes in account the earnings between June 1, 2019 and June 1, 2020. The list has been topped by Wrestler-turned-movie star Dwayne Johnson, for a second straight year, with the total earning of $87.5 million. Johnson is also known by his ring name The Rock.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Sports journalist GK Menon passes away: Renonwed sports journalist GK Menon (93 years) passes away in suburban Mumbai. He worked as a freelancer with the Indian Express and The Times of India in 1990s. He played cricket at club level and also was an active member of Shivaji Park Gymkhana, Dadar (Mumbai). He was manager of Bombay University team in 1952-53 which won Rohinton Baria Trophy by beating Delhi. Test players like Chandu Patankar, Ramnath Kenny, Naren Tamhane and GR Sunderam emerge out of this team. 

Daily GK Updates - 12th Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches Krishi Megh: The Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar virtually launched a data recovery centre ‘Krishi Megh’ (National Agricultural Research & Education System -Cloud Infrastructure and Services) of the government’s premier research body Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Krishi Megha aims at protecting the precious data of ICAR and meet the services and infrastructure needs of Digital Agriculture of National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES) using cloud computing infrastructure. The centre has been set up at National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) in Hyderabad, under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP), which is funded by both the Government of India and World Bank. Currently, the main data centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is located at the Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI) in New Delhi. Krishi Megha will integrate the data centre of ICAR-IASRI, New Delhi with the Disaster Recovery Centre at the ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad. The minister also launched KVC ALUNET (Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Chhatr Alumni Network) and Online Accreditation System for Higher Agricultural Educational Institutions (HEI).

 

2. Gujarat CM announces ‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana’ for current Kharif season: The Gujarat government under Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced a new scheme called Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana, which will replace the Central governments’s Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for this fiscal year (2020-21) only. Under this new scheme, farmers facing crop losses due to drought, excess rain or unseasonal rain will get compensation. Also, the best thing about this scheme is that no premium will be collected from the farmers, as was needed in PMFBY. It will cover all the 56 lakh farmers of the state, unlike the PMFBY, where on an average, 15-17 lakh farmers who applied for crop insurance, used to be covered. However, the new insurance scheme will be restricted to crop losses happening during the ongoing Kharif season only and the insurance coverage will be up to a maximum of four hectares of land.

Note: The decision to launch the new scheme was taken as the insurance companies have quoted very high premium rates for this year under the PMFBY, which will entail a burden of Rs 5,700 crore on both the state and the Centre. Earlier the state and central government used to pay premiums between Rs 1,700 and 1,800 crore. Due to this, the state has decided to scrap the PMFBY for this year.

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

 

3. National Infrastructure Pipeline Online Dashboard launched: The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) Online Dashboard has been inaugurated by the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. The newly launched platform “NIP” will act as one stop solution for all stakeholders seeking for information on infrastructure projects in New India. The platform is being considered a step towards the vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. It will attract investors for PPP projects and also ensure easy accessibility to updated project information. The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) Online Dashboard will improve project preparation, attract investments (both domestic & foreign) into infrastructure and would be hosted on the India Investment Grid (IIG). IIG is an online platform that provides information about the updated & real-time investment opportunities in the country to the global investor community. NIP will cover both economic as well as social infrastructure projects.

 

4. Mumbai becomes first Indian city to get female symbol on traffic signals: Mumbai has become the first city in India to have women symbols on traffic signals and signage, as a symbolic gesture towards gender equality in public spaces. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has installed female traffic signals that display female icons sporting triangular frock, a shift from the default representation of men. The symbols have been changed in 240 signals on 120 posts situated in 12 different road crossings near Mumbai’s Dadar area.

Note: Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

 

5. Skyroot Aerospace tests upper stage rocket engine “Raman”: Skyroot Aerospace, a Spacetech startup has successfully test fired an upper stage rocket engine “Raman”. With this, Skyroot Aerospace has become the first Indian private firm to exhibit the potential to build a homegrown rocket engine. “Raman” is a 3-D printed rocket engine which has been named after Nobel laureate CV Raman. Skyroot Aerospace expects to launch its first rocket, which can hurl satellites of 250-700 kgs, into a lower earth orbit by December 2021. This development from the private players has become possible after the union cabinet’s approval of private player participation in space in June 2020.

 

6. Third series of book titled ‘Connecting, Communicating, Changing’ comprising collection of speeches by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released: The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Prakash Javadekar unveiled an e-version of the book titled ‘Connecting, Communicating, Changing’. Apart from this, the print coffee table version of the book was also released by Union Minister of Defense Shri Rajnath Singh. The book chronicles Shri M Venkaiah Naidu’s three years in office as the Vice President of India. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has completed three years in office on 11 August 2020. The over 250 pages book is the third series of the book and has been published by Publications Division. It provides a glimpse of his efforts and outcomes as the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Lebanon′s Govt resigns over deadly Beirut port blast: The Prime Minister of Lebanon, Hassan Diab and his entire government has resigned, in the wake of the major blast in Beirut that has triggered public outrage, and anger at the Lebanese government for their failure to prevent the disaster. President Michel Aoun has ordered Diab government to stay on caretaker capacity until a new cabinet is formed. The 61-year-old Diab served as the PM from 21 January 2020 to 10 August 2020. A massive explosion took place in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on August 04, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky.

Note: Capital of Lebanon: Beirut; Currency of Lebanon: Lebanese pound.

 

2. International Youth Day: 12th August: The International Youth Day (IYD) is observed on August 12 annually to draw attention of governments and others towards youth issues worldwide. It aims to promote the ways to engage the youth and make them more actively involved in their communities through positive contributions. UN General Assembly session adopted a resolution 'Policies and programmes involving youth' on 17 December 1999 to commemorate August 12 as International Youth Day. It was first observed on 12 August 2000. The theme of International Youth Day 2020: ‘Youth Engagement for Global Action’.

 

3. World Elephant Day: 12th August: World Elephant Day is observed every year on August 12 worldwide for the preservation and protection of the global elephants. The main objective of World Elephant Day is to create awareness on elephant conservation, and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better protection and management of wild and captive elephants. It was adopted by Elephant Reintroduction Foundation and filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark in 2011. First World Elephant Day 2020 was first observed in August 12, 2012.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India’s KN Ananthapadmanabhan promoted to ICC’s panel of umpires: Indian Umpire, KN Ananthapadmanabhan has been included in ICC’s international panel of umpires following compatriot Nitin Menon’s promotion to the elite panel. Ananthapadmanabhan played 105 First-Class and 54 List A games for Kerala, taking 344 and 87 wickets respectively. He also scored three First-Class hundreds and eights half-centuries. Ananthapadmanabhan has officiated in all major domestic events including the IPL. He also was the official in the Ranji Trophy final between Bengal and Saurashtra last year and even stood at both ends for a while after Shamshuddin got injured. The former Kerala spinner joins fellow Indians C Shamshuddin, Anil Chaudhary and Virender Sharma in the international panel and is now eligible to officiate in the ODI and T20 internationals apart from umpiring in the junior World Cup.

Note: CEO of ICC: Manu Sawhney; Headquarters of ICC: Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Chairman of ICC: Imran Khwaja (Interim).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Paytm launched India’s 1st pocket android POS device:  Paytm has launched India’s 1st Pocket Android POS (Point of Sale) Device named ‘Paytm All-in-One Portable Android Smart POS’ for contactless ordering and payments in India. ‘Paytm All-in-One Portable Android Smart POS’ is the first such Android-based device to be introduced in India and is much more powerful than the portable Linux based POS devices presently available in the country. It is an effort to digitise and empower a large number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The company aims to issue over 2 lakh devices within the next few months which will generate over 20 million transactions per month. It has a ‘powerful’ processor, all-day battery and inbuilt camera to scan QR. It can also be used for billing, payments, etc. It can even work with 4G sim, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Note: Paytm founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Paytm Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Paytm founded: 2010.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. BSE partners with Akola-based bullion associations: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Bombay Stock Exchange with Akola, Maharashtra-based bullion trade and industry associations namely Akola Sarafa Association and Akola Sarafa Va Suvarnakar Yuva Sangh. The partnership will seek to enhance cooperation between the BSE and physical markets represented by the two trade bodies in various areas like knowledge sharing, education and training, events as well as explore areas of mutual interests. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will conduct various activities such as seminars and awareness programmes on price-risk management for bullion traders and jewellers. These programmes will help them in shifting to more organised forms of trading. BSE will also aware them about effective hedging tools like derivatives contracts, especially ‘options in goods’ and hence enable them to face a volatile market.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. ACJ Journalism Awards 2019 announced:  Journalists Nitin Sethi and Shiv Sahay Singh were declared winners of the Asian College of Journalism’s (ACJ) Award 2019 for Investigative Journalism and the K. P. Narayana Kumar Memorial Award for Social Impact Journalism, respectively. The awards were presented in a virtual ceremony by Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organisation (WHO), at the inauguration of the Class of 2021.

Nitin Sethi is a journalist in the Huffington Post. He won this award for his six-part series titled “Paisa Politics” published by The Huffington Post India.

Shiv Sahay Singh is a journalist in The Hindu. He received the award for his story titled “Death by digital exclusion: On faculty public distribution system in Jharkhand” published in The Hindu.

Note: ACJ Headquarters: Chennai, TamilNadu; ACJ Chairman: Sashi Kumar.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Renowned Urdu Poet Rahat Indori passes away: Legendary Urdu poet Rahat Indori (70 years) passed away due to a heart attack after being treated for COVID-19. He was the Mushaira (poetry symposiums) star of India. Last year his poem ‘Bulati hai magar jane ka nahi’ went viral on social media. He is known for lyrics of songs like ‘M Bole to’ from Munnabhai MBBS, ‘Neend Churai Mei’ from Ishq. His power line of a poem ‘Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yahan ki mitti mein; Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai’ is the most remembered line.

 

2. Renowned Tamil film lyricist P K Muthusami passes away: Famous Tamil film lyricist P K Muthusami (99 years) has passed away at his residence in R Pudupatti village, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu. He was about to complete his 100th birthday in 2020. He peened down memorable Tamil film lyrics like ‘Mannukku Maram Baaramaa?’, which means ‘are the trees a burden on the earth?’ which is still relevant. His other lyrics composed by Muthusami include ‘Mapilai vandar’, ‘Chinna chinna nadai nadandu’ among others. 

Daily GK Updates - 11th Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre Launches “Surakhsya”- National Portal on Human-Elephants Conflict: Union Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State in the Environment Ministry, Babul Supriyo jointly launched a beta version of a portal on Human-Elephants Conflict called “Surakhsya” on the eve of World Elephant Day (12 August) in New Delhi. Surakhsya is a National Portal on human elephant conflict to help in collection of real time information as well as managing the conflicts on a real time basis to help in policy formulation and for preparation of Action Plans for mitigation of conflicts. The portal will help policy-makers to leverage HEC data to frame the data collection protocols, data transmission pipelines and data visualization tools. The beta version of the portal is currently being launched for data testing before the pan India roll out for adoption by the states. Shri Javadekar also released a booklet on “Best practices of Human-Elephant Conflict Management in India” during the event.

 

2. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel launches Indira Van Mitan scheme to make forest-dwellers self-reliant: The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched ”Indira Van Mitan Yojana” on 9 August 2020, on the occasion of the World Tribal Day, to bring prosperity to forest dwellers (especially tribal) by opening up self-employment opportunities. Under the ‘Indira Van Mitan scheme, a dedicated groups of youth will be constituted in around 10,000 villages in tribal-dominated areas to manage forest-based economic activities. Each group will consist of 10 to 15 members. Each of the youth groups will look after procurement, processing and marketing of forest produce in scheduled areas. The state government will set up forest produce processing units in every development block of the scheduled areas, at an estimated cost of Rs 10 lakh for each unit. An amount of Rs 8.50 crore will be spent for forest produce processing units in 85 development blocks. The plantation of fruit-bearing and medicinal plants will be encouraged in forest areas.

Note: Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel; Governor: Anusuiya Uikey.

 

3. Delhi Airport Launches Online Portal ‘AIR SUVIDHA’ for India-bound International Passengers: The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a GMR Group-led consortium, has developed a first-of-its-kind web portal named ‘AIR SUVIDHA’. This portal is meant for India-bound international arriving flyers, to enable them to fill the mandatory self- declaration form. Eligible passengers can also apply online for exemption from mandatory institution quarantine process. This facility is going to help hundreds of AP bound passengers. The AIR SUVIDHA portal will make traveling contactless as the passengers won’t have to fill physical copies of self declaration and quarantine exemption forms when they arrive in India. The online forms have been developed in collaboration with various state governments, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Note: Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare: Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Union Minister of External Affairs: Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

 

4. IIT Kanpur develops indigenous seed balls titled ‘BEEG’: Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in collaboration with Agnys Waste Management Private Limited (start-up at IIT Kanpur) developed indigenous seed balls named ‘BEEG’ (Biocompost Enriched Eco Friendly Globule). This will help to safeguard people and farmers in plantations during the COVID-19 times. The initiative is guided by Prof. J. Ramkumar. The initiative provides employment opportunities to unemployed workers and gardeners (due to the COVID-19 lockdown). BEEG is enriched with the right indigenous ingredients (like compost & clay) and seeds to germinate early. It is the best way to utilise Monsoon and plant as many trees as possible without risking lives by social gathering during the pandemic. BEEG should be thrown at the target areas and they will germinate when they come into contact with water (rainy seasons are a perfect choice). It eliminates the need to dig pits for planting saplings. The development of the SEED balls will bring a revolutionary change in the agriculture process.

 

5. Bihar Pollution Control Board signs MoA with IIT Delhi for air quality management: The Bihar State Pollution Control Board has signed a ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ (MoA) with IIT Delhi to set up geographical information system (GIS) based platform to check air quality management in the state. IIT Delhi will help the state to set up a comprehensive architecture for scientific analysis of air pollution and monitoring and provide know-how to develop in-house capacity for data analysis. The project will help in identifying sources and transport (local hot spot) of particulate matter PM 2.5 in the non-attainment cities like Patna, Gaya and Muzaffarpur and help the board to identify effective mitigation measures. The project will not only identify geographical areas with poor air quality based on statistical and spatial data, but will also enable to locate the source of air pollutants in those areas.

 

6. Webinar on ‘AtmaNirbhar Madhya Pradesh: Health and Education’: A webinar with title ‘AtmaNirbhar Madhya Pradesh: Health and Education’ was inaugurated by Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in New Delhi. The webinar was held to discuss the topics namely education and health with subject experts from across the nation for Madhya Pradesh as part of the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ programme. While addressing the webinar, the Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ highlighted the various initiatives taken by the Ministry of Education during COVID- 19 pandemic. He also applauded the state Government of Madhya Pradesh for swiftly responding to the COVID-19 crisis by introducing a series of interventions across all sectors.

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Russia announces World’s first Covid-19 vaccine ‘Sputnik V’: Russian President, Vladimir Putin has announced that a COVID-19 vaccine developed in the country has been registered for use. Russian Ministry of Health has given regulatory approval for what it claims is the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute. Russia is the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine which is named as Sputnik V. It is named after the Soviet satellite. The vaccine has proven efficient during tests, offering enduring immunity from the coronavirus. Many scientists within the country and abroad are sceptical, however, questioning the choice to register the vaccine before Phase 3 trials that normally last for months and involve thousands of individuals. Industrial production of Sputnik V is expected to start from September after the completion of Phase 3 trials.

Note: President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital of Russia: Moscow.

 

2. Walter Roger Martos Ruiz takes over as new Prime Minister of Peru: Walter Roger Martos Ruiz, a retired Army General, has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Peru. A former major-general of the Peruvian Army, Martos had served as Minister of Defense from October 2019 to August 2020. His appointment was confirmed by President of Peru, Martin Vizcarra. Ruiz will succeed Pedro Álvaro Cateriano Bellido. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government Palace in Lima. He was former major-general of the Peruvian Army and has served in a variety of leading military positions throughout his career.

Note: Peru Capital: Lima; Peru Currency: Peruvian Sol.

 

3. Mohamed Ould Bilal becomes new Prime Minister of Mauritania: Mohamed Ould Bilal has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Mauritania. The appointment was made by the Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. Mohamed Ould Bilal is a veteran public administrator and has served as the head of the country’s national water agency, a presidential aide and a cabinet minister. Appointment of Mohamed Ould Bilal as the Prime Minister of Mauritania was made following the resignation of his predecessor Ismail Ould Cheikh Sidiya and his entire government.

Note: Capital of Mauritania: Nouakchott; Currency of Mauritania: Mauritanian ouguiya.

 

4. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko re-elected for 6th consecutive term: Incumbent President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko (65 years) has been re-elected as the head of the country for the sixth straight term. Lukashenko won landslide victory in the elections on 9 August 2020, with about 80% of all votes in his favour. The 65-year-old is serving as the President of Belarus since the establishment of the office on 20 July 1994. A former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, who emerged as Lukashenko’s main rival at the elections gets 9.9 per cent of the vote.

Note: Capital of Belarus: Minsk; Currency of Belarus: Belarusian Rouble.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Max Verstappen wins 70th Anniversary Grand Prix 2020: Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) has won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, held on 9 August 2020 in United Kingdom. This is the first win of the season for Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) came second while Valtteri Bottas came third. The 70th Anniversary Grand Prix (officially Emirates Formula 1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix 2020) was fifth race of 2020 Formula One World Championship, held at the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, United Kingdom. The race was held to commemorate 70-year of the Formula One World Championship. The first championship Grand Prix was held at the same circuit in 1950.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NPCI launches omni-channel loyalty platform ‘nth Rewards’: The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched a loyalty platform named ‘nth Rewards’. Here nth represents “infinite possibilities”. It is an analytics-enabled omnichannel multi-branded loyalty platform. It allows users to earn “nth” (infinite) loyalty points through various bank transactions. These rewards point can be redeemed for various purposes including online shopping. Customers will earn loyalty points on almost every transaction made digitally, especially while using the credit and debit cards. ‘nth Rewards’ platform has a smart dashboard for users where they can see their points accumulation.

Note: MD-CEO of NPCI: Dilip Asbe

 

2. Harsh Bhanwala appointed as executive chairman of Capital India Finance: Financial services platform Capital India Finance Ltd has appointed former head of NABARD, Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, as Executive Chairman of the company. Prior to this, Bhanwala was chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for over six years. Bhanwala was appointed as the chairman NABARD in December 2013 and demitted the office on May 26, 2020. Capital India Finance Limited (CIFL) is an integrated financial services platform and provides customised financial solutions to Indian Corporates for their growth and working capital requirements among others.

Note: Capital India Finance Ltd Managing Director: Keshav Porwal; Capital India Finance Ltd Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. A.P. governent signs MoU with US Based IT Firm “Boston Group”: The Boston Group has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up an IT company in Visakhapatnam. The new IT Company stated to be installed in the state according to the MoU is expected to create 250+ jobs in the IT sector. The employees of this centre would be deployed in the R&D on Learning platforms and leverage advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cyber Security and Human Resources.

Note: Chairman of The Boston Group: Subu Kota.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Indian Footballer Laishram Manitombi Singh passes away: Former Indian footballer Laishram Manitombi Singh (39 years) passed away at his village near Imphal, Manipur. Manitombi was the member of Stephen Constantine-coached India Under-23 team that lifted the LG Cup in 2003 by defeating Vietnam with 3-2. It was Stephen Constantine’s first tournament as head coach and ended the senior national team’s 31-year wait for a title. He also represented India in the 2002 Busan Asian Games He served as the captain of Mohun Bagan for consecutive two seasons (2003-2004) where he scored 3 goals, and led the club to win the Airlines Gold Cup in 2004. 

Daily GK Updates - 10th Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi launches submarine cable connectivity project between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched and dedicated to the nation, the first ever submarine (undersea) Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connectivity between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI project) on 10 August 2020 through video conferencing. This state of the art project will connect Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland and provide high speed broadband connections in the Union Territory at par with services in the mainland. The foundation stone for this 2300 Kms submarine cable project was laid by the PM on 30 December 2018 at Port Blair. The OFC will deliver 2x 200 Gbps between Chennai and Port Blair along with 2×100 Gbps between Port Blair and other islands.  The service has already begun from Chennai to Port Blair, Port Blair to Little Andaman and Port Blair to Swaraj Island. Currently, the A&N are connected to the Indian mainland through satellite link with limited bandwidth capacity and high amounts of delay. The present satellite link capacity is merely 3.2Gbps, while the OFC would be able to provide a bandwidth of 400Gbps (over 100 times the existing capacity) at its initial stage of commissioning.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island: Admiral D K Joshi.

 

2. PM Modi launches financing facility worth Rs. 1 Lakh Crore under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched a new Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund worth Rs 1 lakh crore, during an event conducted through video conference on 9 August 2020. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund was approved by the cabinet on 8 July 2020. About the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund:

Total Outlay: Rs 1 Lakh Crore; Duration: 10 Years, from FY2020 to FY2029; Purpose: Provide medium – long term debt financing facility to entrepreneurs, start-ups, agri-tech players and farmer groups for setting up infrastructure and logistics facilities through interest subvention and financial support; Beneficiaries: Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Group (SHG), Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Startups, Aggregation Infrastructure Providers and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Project; Loan Disbursement Stages: 4 Years. Rs. 10,000 crore will be disbursed in the current year (2020-21) and Rs. 30,000 crore each in next three financial years; Interest subvention: 3% per annum on loan up to a limit of Rs. 2 crore for a maximum period of seven years; Credit guarantee coverage: Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs. 2 crore.

PM also released the 6th installment under the PM-KISAN scheme of Rs. 17,000 Crore to nearly 8.5 Crore farmers directly to their Aadhaar verified bank accounts. With this transfer, the scheme has provided over 90,000 Crore to more than 10 Crore farmers since the launch of PM_KISAN on 01 December 2018.

 

3. Flipkart partners with the U.P. Government’s ODOP scheme: India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart has signed an MoU with One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The MoU will bring the artisans, weavers and craftsmen under the ODOP scheme into the scope of the “Flipkart Samarth” initiative. This will provide artisans, weavers and craftsmen under the ODOP scheme a momentum to expand their business online as they face social and economic challenges. The Flipkart Samarth initiative will offer various services to artisans, weavers and craftsmen such as training, dedicated space in Flipkart’s fulfilment centres, constant seller support along with cataloguing guidance and visibility on the platform. With help of this, these under-served communities from UP will get a push to showcase their specialized products and crafts to millions of customers across the country.

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

 

4. KVIC to set up Silk Training cum Production Center in A.P.: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) will open the Silk Training cum Production Center in the tribal village of Chullyu in Arunachal Pradesh. This would be the first Silk Training cum Production Center in the state. Machinery like handlooms, Charkha, Silk reeling machines and warping drums would be installed in the training cum production Center. KVIC has transformed the dilapidated school building into the training cum production center for Eri Silk, and has also selected the first batch of 25 local artisans of Chullyu village to begin the training with. With the launch of Silk Training cum Production Center, the state would soon be bustling with spinning and weaving activities. The center will boost the great potential of silk production and other activities of village industries in the village.

Note: Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission: Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh: Pema Khandu; Governor: B.D. Mishra.

 

5. CSIR, FSSAI sign MoU for collaborative research on food and nutrition: An agreement was signed between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for collaborative research and information dissemination in the area of food and nutrition, during a ceremony which was presided Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. The collaboration between these two premier institutions of India will contribute in fulfilling the vision of New Food System 2050. The two organisations will also work towards strengthening the quality assurance of laboratory networks across the country. New Food System 2050 will have an enhanced focus on climate-friendly food production systems, conservation of land and water resources, reduction in food loss and food wastage across the value chain, increase in small scale production units for self-sustaining local economies, use of environment-friendly packaging alternatives, and repurposing of waste.

 

6. Union Ministers inaugurated Railway Museum at Hubballi, Karnataka: Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal inaugurated the Rail Museum in Hubballi. The occasion was organised on a digital platform by way of video hyperlink. Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal dedicated Hubballi Rail Museum in Karnataka to the Nation. This Rail Museum is the first of its kind in North Karnataka and second in South Western Railway after the historic Mysore Rail Museum. The main objective of establishing this Museum on behalf of Indian Railways is to make people aware of the glorious history of the railways. Through this Museum, Indian Railways will tell people how the railway stations used to be earlier and how they have changed over time.

 

7. World Biofuel Day: 10th August: The International Biofuel Day (World Biofuel Day) is observed every year on August 10 to raise awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel sector. The Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas since 2015. The theme for 2020 World Biofuel Day is ‘Biofuels Towards Atmanirbhar Bharat’. The day honours the research experiments by Sir Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (inventor of the diesel engine) who ran an engine with peanut oil in 1893.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister for 4th Time: Sri Lanka’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the country’s Prime Minister on 9 August 2020, after his party secured a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections on 5 August, 2020. This is the fourth time that the 74-year-old Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) leader has been appointed as the PM of Sri Lanka. Prior to this, Mahinda Rajapaksa was first elected prime minister in 2004 and again appointed for brief periods in 2018 and 2019. He has also served as the island nation’s president from 2005 to 2015. Mahinda Rajapaksa was administered the oath of office for the ninth Parliament by his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a historic Buddhist temple, Rajamaha Viharaya in Kelaniya, a north Colombo suburb.

Sri Lanka's Legislative Capital: Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI launches pilot scheme for Offline Retail Payments Using Cards and Mobile Devices: The Reserve Bank of India has launched pilot scheme for small value payments in offline mode. The pilot scheme shall be undertaken till March 31, 2021 only. Under the scheme, authorised Payment System Operators (PSOs) – banks and non-banks – will be able to provide offline payment solutions using cards, wallets or mobile devices for remote or proximity payments. This has been done to do away with the impediments caused due to lack of internet connectivity or low speed of internet, especially in remote areas. Some major points related to this scheme are:

(1) Maximum limit of a payment transaction will be Rs 200. (For a single transaction)

(2) The total limit for offline transactions on an instrument shall be Rs 2,000, at any point of time. Resetting of the limit shall be allowed in online mode with AFA.

(3) Payments could be made using cards, wallets or mobile devices or through any other channel. Payments may be made in remote or proximity mode.

 

2. Centre Constitutes Panel to fix ceiling rates under Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has constituted a three-member committee to determine the ceiling rates for reimbursement of taxes and duties to exporters under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme. The committee would comprise of former Home Secretary G K Pillai as Chairman. The other two members are Y G Parande (retd CBIC member) and Gautam Ray (retd chief commissioner of custom and central excise). The committee shall interact with the administrative ministries, export promotion councils, commodity boards, trade bodies and other stakeholders so as to take their views on the ceiling rates under RoDTEP scheme. Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme

(1) The Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme for reimbursement of taxes was announced by the government to replace Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) and make Indian products competitive in global markets..

(2) The RoDTEP scheme aims to reimburse the taxes and duties incurred by exporters such as duty on power charges, VAT on fuel in transportation, farm sector, captive power generation, mandi tax, stamp duty and central excise duty on fuel used in transportation, which are not exempted or refunded under any other existing scheme.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IndusInd Bank acquires 7.82% stake in Eveready by invoking pledged shares: Private sector lender IndusInd Bank has acquired 7.82 percent stake in battery maker Eveready Industries by invoking pledged shares following loan default. The bank invoked pledge on 56,83,320 shares which constituted 7.82 percent of paid-up equity share capital of Eveready Industries. As per the information, the equity shares of Eveready Industries India Ltd. held by Williamson Magor and Co. Ltd were pledged with the IndusInd bank for securing the outstanding dues of Seajuli Developers & Finance Limited (Seajuli), the borrower company.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Congress leader Nandi Yellaiah, passes away: A senior Congress leader and eight-time Member of Parliament from Telangana, Nandi Yellaiah has passed away due to Covid-19. He was 78. Yellaiah was the vice-president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). He was a six-term member of Lok Sabha and two-time Rajya Sabha member. Yellaiah was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1977, from Siddipet (s.c) parliamentary constituency. Subsequently, he won Lok Sabha elections from the same constituency four more times. In 2014, he was elected from the Nagarkurnool.