Daily GK Updates - 8th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GoI launches mental health rehabilitation helpline “KIRAN”: Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry have launched a toll-free mental health rehabilitation helpline “KIRAN”. The helpline was launched in view of the growing incidence of Mental Illness, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. The helpline – 1800-500-0019 will provide relief and support to persons with mental illness. About “KIRAN” helpline:

The helpline will resolve mental health issues that are related to the following namely, anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depression, Panic Attack(s) Adjustment Disorders, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders and the psychological issues & mental health emergencies induced by the pandemic. It will offer mental health rehabilitation services. It functions as a lifeline to provide 1st stage advice, counselling. It is available 24*7 with the Technical Coordination of BSNL.

Note: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment: Thaawarchand Gehlot.

 

2. Karnataka approves Rs. 600-cr watershed project ‘REWARD’ with World Bank assistance: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a project titled ‘Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agriculture Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD)’. The REWARD project is designed to ensure soil and water conservation in 20 taluks with low groundwater levels in Karnataka. The total cost of this project is Rs 600 crore. The World Bank will fund 70% of the project amount, which amounts to Rs 420 crore, whereas, 30% of the expenses (Rs 180 crore) will be borne by the state government of Karnataka. The project will cover 50,000 hectares of parched land with depleted groundwater table for watershed development in each of the 20 taluks to increase the groundwater table. The taluks to be covered under the project are Bagepalli, Challakere, Shikaripur, Gundlupet, Harapanahalli, Sira, Arsikere, Kadur, Bailhongal, Athani, Hirekerur, Hungund, Kundgol, Bagewadi, Ron, Jewargi, Basavakalyan, Manvi, Yelburga, and Shahapur.

Note: Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru; Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa

 

3. Andhra Govt & LEAF signs agreement for food processing: Government of Andhra Pradesh and Lawrencedale Agro Processing India (LEAF) has signed an agreement to expand the scope of food processing in the State. The State tops in the production of mango, lime, tomato, eggs, banana, chillies, and shrimp and second in production of groundnut, maize and paddy in the country. LEAF has inked an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society at Tadepalli, Guntur, under the purview of the Andhra Pradesh government’s Department of Industries and Commerce to boost the income of marginal farmers with special focus on food processing. This initiative of Integrated Food Park Scheme is one more aspect towards ensuring higher income for farmers.

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

 

4. Venkaiah Naidu released ‘The State of Young Child in India’ report: Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu has released “The State of Young Child in India” report. The report was prepared by a policy advocacy organization, Mobile Creches. The report measured Health and Nutrition in the country. According to the report, there 159 million children aged below 6 years in India out of the 21 per cent are undernourished, 36 per cent are underweight and 38 per cent do not receive full immunization. According to the analysis on expense towards child nutrition, healthcare, education and other protection services, India has spent Rs 1,723 per child in 2018-2019, which is insufficient to reach the entire eligible population. The report has also released the list of Best-performing states & worst-performing states based on the Young Child Outcomes Index.

Best-performing states: (1) Kerala; (2) Goa; (3) Tripura; (4) Tamil Nadu; (5) Mizoram

Worst-performing states: (1) Bihar; (2) Uttar Pradesh; (3) Jharkhand; (4) Madhya Pradesh; (5) Chhattisgarh

The Young Child Outcomes Index (YCOI) measures health, nutrition and cognitive growth with help of indicators such as infant mortality rate, stunting and net attendance at the primary school level. Based on the index, eight states have scored below the country’s average. They are Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The index was constructed for two time periods 2005-2006 & 2015-2016 to provide inter-state comparisons and also provides an idea of change over time.

 

5. DRDO successfully tests scramjet technology for hypersonic missiles: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight-tested a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), which is an unmanned scramjet vehicle with the ability to travel at six times the speed of sound. The test was conducted from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha.  Now, India has joined the elite club of the United States, Russia and China to develop and successfully test Hypersonic Technology. About HSTDV:

(1) The HSTDV tests the indigenously developed hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology. The scramjets are a variant of air-breathing jet engines and have the ability to handle airflows of speeds much higher than the speed of sound.

(2) The hypersonic cruise vehicle was launched using a proven solid rocket motor, which took it to an altitude of 30 kilometres, where the aerodynamic heat shields were separated. The cruise vehicle separated from the launch vehicle and the air intake opened as planned.

(3) The hypersonic combustion sustained and the cruise vehicle continued on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound, which is nearly two kilometres per second, for more than 20 seconds.

(4) The critical events, like fuel injection and auto-ignition of the scramjet, demonstrated technological maturity.

Note: DRDO Chairman: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

6. NITI Aayog constitutes Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC): NITI Aayog has constituted a Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC). The MPICC is chaired by Ms. Sanyukta Samaddar, Adviser (SDG). NITI Aayog is the nodal agency for the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and has been assigned the responsibility of leveraging the monitoring mechanism for it and to drive reforms. Global MPI is an international measure of multidimensional poverty covering 107 developing countries and was first developed in 2010 by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for UNDP’s Human Development Reports.

 

7. AIM partners with Freshworks to provide robust support to innovators and entrepreneurs in India: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of the NITI Aayog has partnered with a customer-engagement software company Freshworks Inc. to provide support to incubators and the startup ecosystem in India to get further empowered in their innovation journey. Under the partnership, Freshworks will provide credits for its suite of products to AIM and its beneficiaries, which will empower startups to function efficiently while keeping a tab on costs in related activities. The collaboration will increase the efficacy of the institutions and startups in the AIM portfolio and foster innovation and entrepreneurship among startup innovators. Freshworks is a cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) company, which provides innovative customer-engagement software for businesses of all sizes.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. SCO Heads of Government Summit to be held in India on 30 November: India will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit of the council of heads of government on November 30, 2020 in New Delhi. This SCO Summit is the 19th edition of the council of heads of government meeting of SCO. India is hosting this summit for the first time after its admission into the grouping in 2017.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): Beijing-based SCO is an eight-nation regional grouping comprising of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and became its full member in 2017 along with Pakistan.

 

2. Australia appoints cricket icon Matthew Hayden as trade envoy to India: Government of Australia has appointed former cricketer, Matthew Hayden and Indian-origin politician Lisa Singh as trade envoys for advancing business ties with India. The council plays an important role in advancing Australia's foreign and economic policy interests with India. Three new appointments to the board of the Australia-India Council were announced recently, Ashok Jacob has been reappointed as chair, and will be joined by three new board members."

About Matthew Hayden: Hayden is a former international cricketer, who played 103 Tests and 161 One Day Internationals for Australia. He has scored 40 international centuries. He was made Member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for his sporting excellence. Hayden has served as a board member in the Institute for Australia India Engagement since 2018.

About Lisa Singh: Singh has represented Tasmania in the Federal Senate from 2010 to 2019. She is a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the government of India for her service as a person of Indian heritage in fostering friendly relations between India and Australia.

Note: Prime Minister of Australia: Scott Morrison; Currency of Australia: Australian dollar; Capital of Australia: Canberra.

 

3. Saudi Arabia chairs G20 Education Ministers Meeting: The Education Ministers Meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020. The Saudi Arabian Presidency has selected the following theme for the G20’s 2020 activities: Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All. The meet was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Education Minister Dr Hamad Al-Asheikh where India was represented by Union Minister of Education,  Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in the virtual mode.

The focus of the Meeting: This meeting held to discuss and share experiences of member countries in the three identified areas viz. Education Continuity in Times of Crises, Early Childhood Education and Internationalization in Education.

Note: Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh; Currency: Saudi riyal.

 

4. International Literacy Day: 8th September: International Literacy Day is observed globally on 8th September every year. The day spread awareness about the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies. International Literacy Day 2020 focuses on “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond,” especially on the role of educators and changing pedagogies. The theme highlights literacy learning in a lifelong learning perspective, and therefore, mainly focuses on youth and adults. The day was declared by UNESCO on 26 October 1966 at 14th session of UNESCO’s General conference. It was celebrated for the first time in 1967.

Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Apple’s first ‘floating’ store to be launched in Singapore: Technology giant Apple Inc. has announced that it is going to open its first ever “floating” store, in Singapore on 10th September 2020. The floating Apple Store, will be located at Singapore’s posh Marina Bay Sands resort. It will be the third retail store of Apple in Singapore. The first-of-its-kind store has a sphere-shaped all-glass dome structure that is fully self-supported, and made up of 114 pieces of glass, held together by only 10 narrow vertical mullions for structural connection.

 

2. Mahindra Finance’s subsidiary set to enter online insurance: Mahindra Finance is set to enter the business of online insurance broking giving digital services to the customers of its insurance brokerage subsidiary, Mahindra Insurance Brokers, through a soon-to-be launched portal called PayBima. The new portal would play a role in the transformation of Mahindra’s insurance broking services to a “phygital” model, which would leverage its feet-on-the-street agents at more than 400 locations in the country, with the digital aggregation and settlement services.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. David Attenborough awarded the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2019: The Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust will present the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2019 to renowned broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. The prize is awarded to him for a lifetime of doing more to reveal the wonders of the natural world than perhaps any other individual. The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development was instituted in the memory of the former prime minister by a trust in her name in 1986. It consists of a monetary award of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Oscar winning Czech Director Jiri Menzel passes away: Oscar-winning Czech film director, Jiri Menzel passed away. He was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on 23 February 1938. His 1st feature film, ‘Closely Watched Trains’ won an Academy Award (Oscars) for Best Foreign Language film in 1968. Menzel won the Czech Lion for lifetime artistic contribution and was honoured by the Karlovy Vary festival. He is a recipient of the Medal of Merit, the French Order of Arts and Literature and a score of other international awards. He was awarded an IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2013. 

Daily GK Updates - 7th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Coal India plans to invest over Rs 1.22 Lakh Crores on 500 Projects to achieve production target of 1 billion tonnes by 2023-2024: The state-owned national miner Coal India Ltd (CIL) has announced that the company will invest over Rs. 1.22 lakh crore on the development of nearly 500 projects, with the objective to achieve 1 billion tonnes (BT) coal production by the year 2023-24 and in the process make the nation Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) in terms of Coal. These projects will be related to coal evacuation, infrastructure, project development, exploration and clean coal technologies in the country.

 

2. Andhra Pradesh tops Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) ranking of states 2019: Andhra Pradesh has topped the 4th edition of the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) ranking of states for 2018-19. It is also known as The Ease of Doing Business rankings. The ranking was announced by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs. Uttar Pradesh is ranked second and Telangana is ranked third in the ranking. Till date, State Rankings have been released for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017-18. The latest one is the fourth edition for 2018-19. The ranking is done by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The BRAP represents the Ease of Doing Business in any state.

 

3. Assam re-launches self-employment scheme SVAYEM worth Rs 1,000 crore: The state government of Assam re-launched an old scheme titled ‘Swami Vivekananda Assam Youth Empowerment (SVAYEM)’ on 4 September 2020, which aims to provide self-employment to around 2 lakh youths of the state. The SVAYEM scheme was launched by the government in 2017-18. This is the biggest self-employment programme launched by any government in Assam since Independence. Key Features of the SVAYEM scheme:

(1) The scheme has been re-launched with a budget of Rs 1000 crore.

(2) Under the scheme, the state government would provide Rs 50,000 each as seed money to selected youths to start business ventures.

(3) The government will provide this money in the next three months from its own revenue, without any banking linkage.

(4) To avail the benefit of the scheme, the 2 lakh beneficiaries would have to be part of self-help groups, joint liability groups, etc. before September 1

 

4. First-ever cannabis medicine project to come up in Jammu: Union minister Jitendra Singh announced that the first-ever cannabis medicine project will soon be set up in Jammu. The cannabis medicine project will be set up with the collaboration of Canada at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu. It is the first major foreign investment in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union Territory (UT).

Note: Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir: Manoj Sinha

 

5. K Padmakar appointed as CMD of BPCL: K Padmakar, the Director (HR) at the state-run oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has been given the additional charge of the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the company. He succeeds  D Rajkumar, who superannuated on 31 August 2020.

 

6. Kenichi Ayukawa becomes new president of SIAM: Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO, Kenichi Ayukawa has been elected as the new President of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) for a term of two years. He will replace Rajan Wadhera.  Ashok Leyland MD and CEO, Vipin Sondhi has been elected as the new vice president of SIAM. SIAM is the apex body of the Indian automotive industry.

Note: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers Founded: July 2012; Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

7. Ramachandra Guha pens book on Cricket titled ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind’: Indian writer and historian Ramachandra Guha has come out with a book on cricket titled ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind’. The book is set to be released in November 2020 and will be co-published by HarperCollins India and William Collins UK. The book traces the entire arc of the game in India, across all levels at which it is played: school, college, club, state and country and also present vivid portraits of local heroes, provincial icons, and international stars.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. THE World University Rankings 2021 released: Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021 has been released and under the overall category, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, has topped the list. From India, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has been placed in the 301-350 category in overall global rankings. The IISc Bengaluru has slightly improved its overall score, from 45.6 to 47.9. A total of 63 universities from India qualified for the ranking. The seven older IITs did not participate in the THE-World University Rankings 2020. The THE World University Rankings 2021 includes more than 1,500 universities across 93 countries and regions in 2020.  The participating universities are ranked based on their performance in knowledge transfer, teaching, research, and international outlook. THE World University Rankings analyzed more than 80 million citations across over 13 million research publications and included survey responses from 22,000 scholars globally.

 

2. Trump announces Wilmington as 1st WWII Heritage City: President of the USA, Donald Trump has announced Wilmington, North Carolina as the first World War II Heritage City. The announcement was made at a ceremony held to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II on September 2, 2020. During the war, Wilmington was the site of the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, which built 243 ships in five years as part of the federal government’s emergency shipbuilding program.

Note: Capital of USA: Washington, D.C; The currency of USA: United States dollar.

 

3. International Day of Clean Air for blue skies: 7th September: The International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is observed globally on September 7th, 2020. The day aims to raise public awareness at all levels individual, community, corporate and government that clean air is important for health, productivity, the economy and the environment. The very first International Day of Clean Air for blue skies will be held on September 7th, 2020. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution to hold an International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on December 19, 2019, during its 74th session and invited the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate the observance of the International Day, in collaboration with other relevant organizations. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) worked with UNEP and the Republic of Korea to advocate for the day in the lead up to the decision.

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

 

4. 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Senior Officials' Meeting held virtually: The 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Senior Officials' Meeting (12th MGC SOM) was held via Video Conference. The meeting was attended by Senior Officials from all 6 MGC Member States India, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam and was co-chaired by H.E. Smt. Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs and H.E. Mr. Sok Soken, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia. The meeting discussed the progress made on the MGC Plan of Action (2019-22), which was made during the 10th MGC Ministerial Meeting. The meeting discussed preparations for the 11th MGC Ministerial Meeting, to be held at the end of 2020.

Note: Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC): The MGC was launched in the year 2000 at Vientiane, Lao PDR. It is an initiative by six countries – India and Five ASEAN (Association of SouthEast Asian Nations) countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). The main areas of cooperation between MGC are tourism, culture, education, transport and communications.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

 

1. Olympic Ski Racing Champion Viktoria Rebensburg announces retirement at 30: Olympic ski champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany has announced her retirement due to injury caused during a race in February 2020, which was keeping her from performing at her best. The 30-year-old German ski racer won the gold medal in the giant slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SIDBI extends state-wise MSME support programme to 11 states: SIDBI in association with the Maharashtra state government will be setting up a Project Management Unit (PMU), in order to boost the MSME ecosystem in Maharashtra. The role of PMU will be to design schemes and programs in the areas of equity support, interest subvention, resolution of stressed MSMEs, and supporting them. It will also facilitate other need-based interventions based on an evaluation of the existing status of MSMEs. Apart from Maharashtra, the bank has already appointed an agency that would look at setting up PMUs in 10 other states- Assam, New Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

 

2. Rajiv Lall steps down from IDFC First Bank’s board members: Rajiv B. Lall has resigned from the post of Non-Executive Chairman of IDFC First Bank due to prolonged personal health issues. He was the founder MD and CEO of the IDFC Bank, which was merged with Capital first in December 2018. Amitabh Bachchan is the first ever brand ambassador of IDFC first Bank

Note: MD and CEO of IDFC First Bank: V. Vaidyanathan; Headquarters: Mumbai.

 

3. Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank ceased to be a banking company: RBI: The Reserve Bank of India has issued a notification to all banks on September 03, 2020 stating that “Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Limited” has ceased to be a banking company within the meaning of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 with effect from July 28, 2020. Apart from this, “Westpac Banking Corporation” also ceases to be a banking company as announced by RBI.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI Ecowrap report predicts India’s real GDP for FY21 at -10.9%: State Bank of India’s research report – Ecowrap has projected India’s real GDP to contract by 10.9%. Earlier the report had predicted a contraction of 6.8% in the real GDP of India in FY21. The report predicts that all four quarters of FY21 will exhibit negative real GDP growth.

 

2. WhatsApp Partners with CyberPeace Foundation to create awareness on cyber safety among students: The Facebook-owned WhatsApp has entered into a partnership with the cyber security think tank CyberPeace Foundation to create awareness on cyber safety among students. The awareness campaign has been launched under the “e-Raksha” programme and will be implemented in phases. In the first phase 15,000 students will be covered in five regions by the end of 2020. They include Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The need for this awareness campaign was felt as students spend more time online and so they become more vulnerable to cyber threats such as cyberbullying, stumbling across child abuse material, cybercriminals disrupting online classes, the spread of misinformation, privacy issues etc.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Tom Seaver, Hall of Fame pitcher, passes away: Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and 12-time all-star, has died. He was 75. Seaver known as “Tom Terrific,” won 311 games, had a 2.86 earned-run average and struck out 3,640 batters over a 20-year major league career that spanned from 1967-1986, earning 12 All-Star selections. He led the National League in wins three times, ERA three times and strikeouts five times. Seaver was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992 when he was named on 98.8 percent of ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, the highest voting percentage ever received at the time. 

Daily GK Updates - 6th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s First Regional Voters’ Awareness Centre to come Up in Jaipur: Election Commission of India (ECI) will set up the country’s first regional voters’ awareness centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It will cater to four states — Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. The centre will carry out various awareness activities under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme. Sunil Arora is the present Chief Election Commissioner.

 

2. Punjab government rolls out ‘I Rakhwali’ App: Punjab government has rolled out “I Rakhwali” App to ensure greenery and to protect the environment in Punjab. The development of app is state governments’ effort to supplement its drive to preserve and maintain the environment in Punjab and to make people stakeholders in the process. The ‘I Rakhwali’ App will also inspire people to plant more trees and become ‘Greenery Saviours’. The mobile application can also be used for reporting illegal felling of trees as well as any damage to forests, by bringing the matter to the notice of the concerned Forest Divisional Officer. Hence, the state will be able to safeguard its forest area by making people a stakeholder in this process.

Note: Chief Minister of Punjab: Capt. Amarinder Singh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore.

 

3. IIT Delhi launches ‘‘Chakr DeCoV’’ to decontaminate N95 masks: The IIT Delhi incubated startup Chakr Innovation has launched a special decontamination device called ‘Chakr DeCoV’, to decontaminate N95 masks. The Chakr DeCoV device is designed in the shape of a cabinet. Chakr DeCoV is built with an innovative decontamination mechanism, which utilises the high penetrability of Ozone gas for cleaning the pores of the N95 mask, ensuring complete decontamination of its intricate layers.

Note: IIT Delhi Director: V Ramgopal Rao.

 

4. J&K LG launches SPARROW system for J&K Administrative Service officers: Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha launched the online portal, Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) for Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service Officers (JKAS). About “SPARROW”:

(1) The SPARROW system will benefit around 1289 officers and is aimed at bringing more transparency, avoiding loss of Appraisal Reports (APR) during the transition, ensuring better monitoring and timely completion of performance appraisals of JKAS officers.

(2) The project will be implemented by J&K e-Governance Agency, Information Technology Department in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre and General Administration Department.

(3) Using the Sparrow System, an applicant can file APR from anywhere and anytime. It is expected to make the process seamless, quick and convenient due to in-built alert mechanisms and providing online status checks.

 

5. FADA appoints Vinkesh Gulati as its new President: The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has announced the appointment of Vinkesh Gulati as its 35th President for the year 2020-22. He succeeds Ashish Harsharaj Kale as the new FADA President. Gulati is the Director of United Automobiles, based out of Allahabad and Faridabad. United Automobiles is involved in the Auto Dealership business since the year 1985 and are dealers for brands like Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto. United Automobiles is part of the United Group that started as Transport Business in 1951.

Note: Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations founded: 1964; Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

6. LC Goyal gets 1-year extension in his tenure as CMD of ITPO: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved one-year extension in tenure of L C Goyal as the Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS (retired) Goyal will continue in the post from September 1, 2020 till September 1, 2021. This is his fourth’s extension on the post. He was appointed as the ITPO chief on August 31, 2015 and was given one-year extension each on August 14, 2017, July 31, 2018 and August 22, 2019.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 35th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific 2020: The 35th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC 35) was held virtual format due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Conference was held under the Chair of the Host Country, Bhutan. The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala represented India in the conference. The conference focused on regional priorities and issues such as COVID 19, the state of agriculture, natural resources management, food security and nutrition. Bangladesh will host the 36th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific of the in 2022. It will be the first time that the country will host the event, ever since it joined the organisation in 1973. The Regional Conference is held once every two years. The first regional conference was held in Bangalore, India, in 1953.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Founded: 16 October 1945.

 

2. UN Environment Programme launches “The Little Book of Green Nudges”: A new publication “The Little Book of Green Nudges” has been launched by the United Nations Environment Programme. The newly launched publication seeks to encourage around 200 million students around the world to adopt environmentally friendly habits and greener lifestyles. “The Little Book of Green Nudges” is UNEP’s first on behavioural science and nudge theory. It concentrates on human actions and how to change them. The book comprises of 40 ready-made nudges- simple measures that make adoption of green choices much easier. These measures can be deployed by the universities to encourage students and staff to embrace more sustainable behaviours.

Note: Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme: Inger Andersen.

 

3. India ranked 3rd in largest solar market in 2019: Mercom global listing: India has been ranked third in terms of the largest solar market in 2019 as per Mercer Global listing for 2019. India had 9% of the world’s installed capacity.  China has topped the ranking with about 30 Gw (26% of world capacity). The US is on the second rank. Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) ranked as world’s largest solar power generation asset owner in terms of operating, under-construction and awarded projects. It has emerged as the top Solar Developer in 2019 with 12.3 Gw capacity.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

 

1. Pierre Gasly wins F1 Italian Grand Prix 2020: Pierre Gasly (Scuderia AlphaTauri, France) has won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix 2020 held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy. This is his first Grand Prix win. Carlos Sainz Jr. (McLaren, Spain) came second followed by Lance Stroll (Racing Point, Canada) in third place. Lewis Hamilton ended at 7th place after he earned a 10-second stop and go penalty.

 

2. England cricketer Ian Bell announces retirement: England cricketer, Ian Bell has announced that he will retire from all forms of cricket at the end of the 2020 domestic season. He made his debut in 2004. He played 118 Tests, 161 ODIs, and 8 T20Is for England. He retired from ODIs in 2015 to focus on Test cricket. He won five Ashes series out of seven. He was the Player of the Series in the 2013 series, where he scored 562 runs at an average of 62.44.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBL Bank launches cardless cash withdrawal facility through ATMs via MoBank app: RBL Bank has partnered with Empays Payment Systems to launch a cardless cash withdrawal facility from ATMs by leveraging the Instant Money Transfer (IMT) system. Customers can use RBL Bank’s MoBank app for this IMT function and initiate cash withdrawal by either using his or her mobile number linked to the account or by following a few easy steps on the app.

Note: MD & CEO of RBL Bank: Vishwavir Ahuja; RBL Bank was formerly known as Ratnakar Bank and was founded in 1943; Headquarters: Mumbai.

 

2. LazyPay launches LazyUPI digital credit card which combines the concept of Buy-Now-Pay-Later with UPI: India’s leading online Instant Credit app LazyPay has launched a digital credit card facility called LazyUPI to offer easy access to credit across online and offline platforms. LazyUPI is a first of its kind digital credit card that combines the power of UPI and the Buy-Now-Pay-Later concept to enable users access to real-time credit using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) across omnichannel networks.

Key features of LazyUPI: Users would not have to link their bank account(s) with UPI to access credit via LazyUPI. Based on the user’s credit history and payment behavior, LazyPay will offer a credit limit upto Rs 1 lakh to users for UPI transactions at stores, both online & offline.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Vodafone Idea rebrands itself as ‘Vi’: Vodafone Idea has announced its new unified brand identity by renaming all its products under a new name and logo “Vi”. The Beleaguered telecom operator announced the rebranding of the company through a virtual platform. The integration into one brand is believed to be the company’s efforts to reduce the cost of maintaining two brands. The rebranding also comes at a time when Vodafone Idea has seen its user base falling from 408 million at the time of the merger to 280 million at the end of June 2020. With Vodafone focusing on premium urban brand, Idea has been a mass rural-focused brand. Following the merger, the urban-rural appeal of the two brands took a hit.

About “Vi”: VI is built to be strong, ever-dependable, agile, intuitive and a brand in tune with the needs of the customers in these ever-changing times. It is designed to help customers move ahead in life, for a better today and a brighter tomorrow.

Note: Vodafone Idea CEO: Ravinder Takkar; Founder: Kumar Mangalam Birla; Founded: 31 August 2018; Headquarters: Gandhinagar

 

2. Infosys acquires product design firm Kaleidoscope Innovation: Infosys has announced that it would acquire product design and development firm, Kaleidoscope Innovation for up to $42 million. Kaleidoscope is a US-based firm and would bring to Infosys a diverse talent pool with extensive knowledge of design and engineering. The Kaleidoscope Innovation provides design and development across medical, consumer and industrial markets for making smart products. Kaleidoscope designs microsurgical instruments, used in invasive surgery, drug delivery devices for ophthalmic therapies and user-centric wearables.

Note: Infosys CEO: Salil Parekh; Infosys Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Vice Admiral S R Sarma assumes charge as Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy: Vice Admiral S R Sarma today assumed charge as the Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy. Admiral Sarma during his illustrious career spanning over three and a half decades has served onboard Indian Naval ships Vindhyagiri, Rana, Krishna and Mysore in various capacities.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Seer Kesavananda Bharati, whose petition in SC ensured basic structure of Constitution cannot be altered, passes away at 79: Pujya Kesavananda Bharati Ji, the pontiff of Edneer Mutt in Kasaragod district of Kerala, whose property rights case in the Supreme Court in 1973 helped define basic rights under the Constitution, has passed away. He was 79. Bharati had filed a case challenging the Constitution (29th Amendment) Act, 1972, questioning the Kerala government’s move to take over the mutt property. Though he lost the case, but it also led to the adoption of the landmark law syllabus ‘Basic Structure Doctrine’ of the Constitution. The apex court ruled that Parliament cannot alter the fundamental structure of the Constitution. 

Daily GK Updates - 5th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister of Education launches mobile app “EnglishPro”: Union Minister of Education has launched a free mobile app named as “EnglishPro“. The mobile application has been developed by the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad under University Social Responsibility (USR). This app will be “a useful digital tool” and will act as an educational resource for the teachers, students and for people from varied backgrounds. The first-of-its kind initiative by any university in the country, the mobile application “EnglishPro” will help learners in developing Indian English Pronunciation in the unique “Indian” way. In the near future, EFLU will also come up with more advanced versions of the mobile application to address the larger learner-needs.

 

2. Uttar Pradesh Govt to set up exclusive anti-electricity theft police stations in every district: The state government of Uttar Pradesh has announced to set up exclusive anti-electricity theft police stations in each of the 75 district of state to address the problem of frequent cases of power theft. Out of the total 75 districts, these police stations have already started functioning in 63 districts. The numbers of enforcement teams have also been raised from 33 to 88. People can file a case in these stations if there are any irregularities and crimes related to electricity.

 

3. National Teachers’ Day: 5th September: In India, the Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on the 5th of September since 1962. The day marks the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an Indian philosopher, academic, and statesman, who defined the role of the teacher as someone who acts not only as an educator but also as a moral mentor and inculcates values among students. He was the second President of India (1962 to 1967) and the first Vice President of India (1952–1962).

National Teachers Awards: The Ministry of Education presents the National Teachers Awards on the occasion every year to acknowledge and encourage extraordinary and meritorious efforts of teachers from across the length and breadth of the country. In 2020, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, conferred National Awards on 47 teachers from across the country. The award ceremony was held virtually for the first time.

 

4. Ayushmann Khurrana appointed as Brand Ambassador of Bajaj Allianz Life: Private life insurer, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited has appointed bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana as its brand ambassador. As the brand ambassador of the life insurer, actor will be promoting the products as well as the digital services of the Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited. The bollywood actor is also set to feature in the upcoming campaign “Smart Living” of the private life insurer which encompasses its Term Plan “Smart protect Goal” and the newly digital service “Smart Assist” which collectively seeks to secure and enable its customer’s life goal amid these uncertain times.

Note: MD & CEO of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited: Tarun Chugh.

 

5. Sikkim Celebrated Pang Lhabsol Festival: The festival of cultural heritage and historical importance Pang Lhabsol is celebrated in Sikkim. It is one of the most historically significant festivals celebrated in Sikkim. It is a unique festival of Sikkim and commemorates the consecration of Mount Khangchendzonga as the guardian deity of Sikkim. To this day the mountain god is invoked and prayed upon at Pang Lhabsol to continue protecting Sikkim. The festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to late August/early September. The ‘chaams’ which are part of this festival are unique and the spectacular Pangtoed or warrior dance was choreographed by the third Chogyal Chador Namgyal, which is said to have appeared to him in a vision.

 

6. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Programme, 2020: Under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, Goa is paired with Jharkhand. Lot of exchange activities are happening on this front. The intensity of programmes is less due to lockdown and so the focus is laid on virtual events. Lokotsav programmes held earlier in Goa in Panaji evoked good response. Stalls of Jharkhand displayed delicacies from that state and Goans enjoyed savouring the same. Folk dances presented by Jharkhand artistes also were appreciated by Goan artistes. Later Goan artistes also visited Jharkhand and presented Goan folk dances. Bangle making workshops were held in Goa wherein experts from handicraft arena of Jharkhand guided Goan artistes.

 

7. APIIC signs MoU with CSIR-IICT to establish a bulk drug park: The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) to establish a bulk drug park in the state. CSIR-IICT is the knowledge partner and will offer needed technical backing to make the proposal which will be submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government to the Department of Pharmaceuticals to seek financial assistance from the Centre. The Mou was signed in the virtual presence of Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Minister for Industries, Andhra Pradesh.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Prahlad Singh Patel virtually attends BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meet: The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting was held under the chairpersonship of Russian Federation. India was represented by Union Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in the 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meet. The participants of the meeting deliberated on the impact of the epidemiological situation on the cultural sphere in the BRICS countries. It also reviewed the possible implementation of joint cultural online-projects within BRICS. The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting featured the participation of delegates from Culture Ministries of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of South Africa.

2. India attends Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Meeting of BIMSTEC: India participated in the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of the regional grouping BIMSTEC on 2 September 2020 to discuss ways to further expand cooperation among its member nations to effectively deal with key challenges including impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The key meeting of BIMSTEC was held under the chairmanship of Sri Lanka. The Indian delegation at the meeting was headed by Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs Vijay Thakur Singh. Some key areas of discussion included ways to deepen cooperation among the member nations including cooperation in dealing with economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and holding of the next summit of the grouping.

 

3. Dwayne Bravo becomes cricket ambassador for “SBOTOP” sportsbook brand: West Indies cricket icon Dwayne Bravo has become the first cricket ambassador for “SBOTOP” sportsbook brand. Isle of Man betting group Celton Manx has appointed the West Indies cricketer as the cricket ambassador for its flagship sportsbook. Dwayne Bravo has represented West Indies in all formats of the cricket. He has represented the country in 256 test matches and 120 one-day-internationals and is also considered as one of the best ever ‘all-rounders’ of the sport.

 

4. International Day of Charity: 5th September: United Nations celebrates the International Day of Charity globally on 05th September every year. The day is being celebrated to sensitize and mobilize people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others via volunteer and philanthropic activities. The day also recognizes the role played by charity in reducing humanitarian crises and human suffering within and among nations.

United Nations designated 05th September as the International Day of Charity to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for “work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”

Note: Secretary-General of United Nations: António Guterres.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sumit Nagal becomes 1st Indian to win grand slam singles main draw match in 7 years: India’s Sumit Nagal registered his maiden Grand Slam victory when he defeated American Bradley Klahn in the first round of the US Open 2020. Nagal advanced to the next round winning 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in a contest that lasted two hours and 12 minutes.  The win ensures the 122nd-ranked will take at least USD 1,00,000 (Rs 73 lakh approximately) for making it to the second round at Flushing Meadows. The result means Nagal is the first Indian male tennis star in seven years to win a main draw match at the US Open. The last Indian to do so was Somdev Devvarman in 2013. The 23-year-old will next take on Austrian Dominic Thiem who went past  Spanish rival Jaume Munar 7-6(6) 6-3 who retired due to injury.

After professional tennis across the world was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year, Nagal decided to stay in Germany where he trains and took part in exhibition events before taking part in a Challenger event in Prague as part of his preparations for the US Open – the second Major event of 2020.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI releases revised Priority Sector Lending Guidelines: The Priority Sector Lending (PSL) Guidelines have been reviewed by the Reserve Bank of India. The review was executed to align the PSL Guidelines with evolving national priorities. The new guidelines will make better credit penetration into credit deficient areas and increase the lending to small as well as marginal farmers and weaker sections. It will also enhance credit to renewable energy, and health infrastructure. In the revised PSL Guidelines, the Reserve Bank of India has included some fresh categories eligible for finance under priority sector. These include loans to farmers for installation of solar power plants; loans for establishment of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants; and bank finance to start-ups of up to Rs 50 crore. Some key features of revised PSL guidelines are as follows:

(1) To address the issue of regional disparities in the flow of priority sector credit, RBI has assigned higher weightage to incremental priority sector credit in ‘identified districts’ where priority sector credit flow is relatively low.

(2) The targets stipulated for “small and marginal farmers” as well as “weaker sections” are being increased in a phased manner.

(3) Credit limit has been raised for the Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs)/Farmers Producers Companies (FPCs) undertaking farming with assured marketing of their produce at a pre-determined price.

(4) The loan limits for renewable energy have been doubled.

(5) The credit limit for health infrastructure (including those under ‘Ayushman Bharat’) has been doubled to improve the health infrastructure.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. European Investment Bank announces 650 Million Euro for Kanpur Metro Project: The Luxembourg based European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest EUR650 million for the construction of the first city metro line of Kanpur. Kanpur is the fifth metro rail project to receive EIB funds in India and also the second-biggest investment made by the EIB outside the European Union.. This project is the second metro rail project supported by the EIB in Uttar Pradesh. Prior to this, EIB made EUR450 million investment for Lucknow metro rail system. The EU bank has also invested in metro rail systems in Bhopal, Pune, and Bangalore in India.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Rajnath Singh attends SCO Defence Minister meet in Moscow; inks deal with Russia to manufacture AK-47 203 rifles: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the joint meeting of the Defence Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow. Russia on 4 September 2020. Mr. Singh was on three-day visit to Russia from 3-5 September 2020 to attend the combined meeting of Defence Ministers of SCO, CIS and CSTO members. Rajnath Singh will also be participating in the 75th anniversary event to commemorate Victory Day.

Deal with Russia to manufacture AK-47 203 rifles: During his visit, Rajnath Singh, on behalf of India finalised a major deal with Russia on 3rd September 2020 for the manufacturing of AK-47 203 rifles. The deal says that the Indian Army has a requirement of 7,70,000 AK-47 203 rifles. Of this total number, 1,00,000 will be imported and the rest will be manufactured in India. The AK-47 203 is the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle. It will replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45 mm assault rifle.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Producer-Director Johnny Bakshi passes away: Veteran producer-director Johnny Bakshi has passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 82. Johnny Bakshi mostly worked as a producer, in his career spanning over four decades. He was best known for producing films such as Raavan (1984), Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee (1993), and Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain, (1974). As a director, his films includes Daku Aur Police (1992) and 1994 movie Khudai. He also acted in Haar Jeet (1990) and Papa Kehte Hai (1996).