Daily GK Updates - 1st Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot e-launches “ASIIM”: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot e-launched the “Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission (ASIIM)”. The mission has been launched under the Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes (SCs) in order to promote innovation and enterprise among SC students studying in higher educational institutions. The Objective of this fund is to provide concessional finance to the entities of the SC entrepreneurs. Under this fund, 117 companies promoted by SC entrepreneurs have been sanctioned financial assistance to set up business ventures. Under the name “Ambedkar Social Innovation Incubation Mission (ASIIM)” initiative, 1,000 SC youth would be identified in the next 4 years with start-up ideas through the Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) in various higher educational institutions.

 

2. PM Modi inaugurates six mega projects in Uttarakhand under Namami Gange Mission: On 29 September 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission through video conference. These projects include:

(1) Construction of a 68 MLD (million liters per day) STP and up-gradation of the existing 27 MLD STP at Jagjeetpur, in Haridwar

(2) Construction of an 18 MLD STP at Sarai, in Haridwar.

(3) Inauguration of a 26 MLD STP at Lakkadghat, in Rishikesh

(4) 7.5 MLD STP in Chandreshwar Nagar

(5) 5 MLD STP at Chorpani

(6) 2 STPs with capacities of 1 MLD and 0.01 MLD at Badrinath

Other inaugurations done by PM Modi includes: “Ganga Avalokan”, the first museum on River Ganga, located at Chandi Ghat, Haridwar. The museum will showcase the culture, biodiversity and rejuvenation activities done in Ganga River. A book titled, ‘Rowing down the Ganges’, co-published by National Mission for Clean Ganga & Wildlife Institute of India. Logo of Jal Jeevan Mission and ‘Margdarshika for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis under Jal Jeevan Mission’

 

3. Dr. Harsh Vardhan launches CSIR Technologies for rural development: The Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched CSIR Technologies for rural development under a joint initiative of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) and Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA). All of the above have planned to work jointly on a framework for scientific intervention to create sustainable livelihood opportunities in the rural clusters under synergy of S&T Organizations (CSIR/DST/DBT/DRDO etc), VIBHA and UBA. The Minister also released CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS) e-Compendium and e-Coffee Table Book, on the occasion. The CSIR-NISTADS is acting as a nodal CSIR Lab to establish linkages between CSIR laboratories, UBA, VIBHA, and stakeholders.

 

4. Bengal Peerless appoints Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador: Kolkata based Real Estate Developer, Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company Limited appointed Former National Cricket Team Captain and Current President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly as it’s Brand Ambassador. He will lead the campaign of Bengal Peerless’s Residential Project Avidipta II.

About Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company Ltd: Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company Limited was established in 1994 with West Bengal Housing Board and The Peerless General Finance and Investment Company Limited. Since its inception, Bengal Peerless has successfully built about 5000 numbers of dwelling units for people of all sections of the society.

 

5. Amnesty International halts operations in India: The Amnesty International India has stopped its operations in the country, after the government of India froze the bank accounts of the organisation on September 10, for allegedly breaking rules on foreign funding laws. The organization has laid off more than 100 staff members and ceased its human rights campaigns and research work in India. As per the Government of India, Amnesty International has been receiving foreign funds, which the government has prohibited under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) 2010.

Note: Amnesty International Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; Amnesty International Secretary-General: Kumi Naidoo.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India-Denmark Virtual Bilateral Summit calls for ‘Green Strategic Partnership’: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen participated in a virtual India-Denmark Bilateral Summit. The summit aimed at further extending cooperation to strengthen bilateral relationship between the two countries. During the Summit, the two countries agreed for the establishment of ‘Green Strategic Partnership’, which would involve:  political cooperation, expand economic relations and green growth, create jobs and strengthen cooperation on addressing global challenges and opportunities and ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The summit saw signing of an MoU in the field of intellectual property cooperation between the two countries. Apart from this, Denmark also joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Denmark has also proposed to host the second India-Nordic Summit. A joint statement was issued under which the two sides agreed to cooperate in a range of sectors like energy, climate change, environment, water, circular economy, sustainable urban development, trade, shipping, food, agriculture and life sciences.

 

2. Gujarat govt signs MoU with Denmark in water sector: Gujarat Government has signed a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Denmark in the water sector. The state government arm Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board has signed the MoU with ‘Danish Water Forum’ through an online interactive platform.

About MOU: This MoU will help in technology exchange, training, capacity building, knowledge exchange, cooperation in water supply, wastewater treatment- reuse and water management between the two organizations. MoU has been signed for a five-year period in order to set up the Indo-Danish Water Technology Alliance in Gujarat and contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal -6.

Note: Danish Water Forum Chairman: Hans-Martin Friis Moller; Danish Water Forum Headquarters: Hørsholm, Denmark

Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

 

3. International Day of Older Persons: 1st October: International Day of Older Persons is observed globally on 1st October every year. The year 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 30th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons. The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world. The theme of International Day of Older Persons 2020: Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Ageing?

 

4. World Vegetarian Day: 1st October: World Vegetarian Day is observed annually on October 1 globally to raise awareness about the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. The day was initiated by the North American Vegetarian Society in Scotland in 1977 during the World Vegetarian Congress. The full week between October 1–7 is observed as the International Vegetarian Week (IVW).

 

5. International Coffee Day: 1st October: International Coffee Day is celebrated on 1st October every year to celebrate millions of people across the world who do hard work to create and serve the beverage in the consumable form such as farmers, roasters, baristas, and coffee shop owners etc. The first ICD was launched in 2015 by the International Coffee Organization in Milan. The theme 2020 of the day is ‘‘Coffee’s Next Generation’’.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Kiren Rijiju launches new logo of Sports Authority of India: The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju has launched the new logo of Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) on 30 September 2020 at Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand Stadium.

About SAI logo: The new logo of SAI features a flying figure which indicates the freedom an athlete to leapfrog his/her career in SAI. The figure features Indian Tricolour and blue colour of the chakra. The logo signifies SAI’s journey of metamorphosis from identifying and nurturing grassroots level sporting talent to creating sporting excellence in the country.

Note: Director-General of SAI: Sandip Pradhan; Sports Authority of India was established in 1984.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI allows REITs, InvITs to raise fund in institutional placement after 2 weeks of previous placement: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has eased the norms for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)  for preferential and institutional placement of their respective units. SEBI has allowed Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to raise equity capital through the institutional placement route two weeks after a previous such exercise. Earlier the allowed time gap was six months between two institutional placements.

 

2. Indian Bank launched Green-Tech Initiative “IB-eNote”: Indian Bank has launched a green initiative named “IB-eNote” to enable a total paperless working environment. This tool enables processing and tracking of notes put up by various offices digitally. The bank for this initiative has customised SharePoint, one of the features of Microsoft Office. The Bank also launched ‘Ind Guru’, an e-learning platform for its employees.

About “IB-eNote”: The IB-eNote facility is likely to considerably improve Turnaround Time, save the cost of paper, printing and other administrative expenses. Microsoft is a leading technology company that has pioneered many industry-firsts. IB-eNote is one of the Bank’s many initiatives to promote digital transformation and to address new gen customers to serve them. The bank with this initiative is taking another step to achieve greater efficiency by continuously empowering its biggest asset (human resources/ staff members).

Note: Indian bank MD & CEO: Padmaja Chunduru; Indian bank Headquarters: Chennai, TamilNadu.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2020 announced: The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2020 was announced by the Union science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan at the Foundation Day celebration of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Here is the list of 14 scientists awardees:

Biological Sciences: (1) Dr Subhadeep Chatterjee; (2) Dr Vatsala Thirumalai

Chemical Sciences: (1) Dr Jyotirmayee Dash; (2) Dr Subi Jacob George

Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences: (1) Dr Abhijit Mukherjee; (2) Dr Suryendu Dutta

Engineering Sciences: (1) Dr Amol Arvindrao Kulkarni; (2) Dr Kinshuk Dasgupta

Mathematics Sciences: (1) Dr UK Anandavardhanan; (2) Dr Rajat Subhra Hazra

Medicine Sciences: (1) Dr Bushra Ateeq; (2) Dr Ritesh Agarwal

Physics Sciences: (1) Dr Rajesh Ganapathy; (2) Dr Surajit Dhara

About the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize: The prize is given to Indian scientists below the age of 45 for outstanding research in seven fields—Biology, Chemistry, Environment Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine and Physics. The Prize is bestowed on a person who, in the opinion of CSIR, has made conspicuously important and outstanding contributions to human knowledge and progress fundamental and applied, in the particular field of endeavour.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Defence Minister launches “Defence India Startup Challenge-4”: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC 4) during the iDEX event. iDEX4Fauji initiative and Product Management Approach (PMA) guidelines were also launched by the Raksha Mantri during the event. Each of these initiatives is expected to facilitate iDEX-Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) to scale up the program qualitatively and quantitatively.

iDEX4Fauji is a first of its kind initiative, launched to support innovations identified by members of the Indian Armed Forces and will bolster frugal innovation ideas from soldiers/ field formations. iDEX4Fauji will allow our soldiers to become part of the innovation process and get recognised and rewarded. Under Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 4, eleven challenges from Armed forces were thrown open to prospective startups, innovators, MSMEs alike to provide their innovative ideas on technologies which find their application in the defence sector.

  

Daily GK Updates – 30th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NABARD to undertake Sanitation Literacy Campaign in Karnataka: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development will begin a Sanitation Literacy Campaign (SLC) in Karnataka to promote literacy on ‘WASH’ (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in 2,000 villages covering one lakh rural population. The objective of the campaign is to focus on inculcating significant behavioural changes towards adapting good hygiene and sanitation practices. The campaign will start from October 2 and continue till January 26, 2021. In the past, NABARD also supported the construction of 3.29 crore household toilets disbursing 27,298 crore rupees across the country.

Note: Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development: Govinda Rajulu Chintala.

 

2. First RRTS train for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor unveiled, will touch 180 km/hour: The government unveiled the first look of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) train which can attain a top speed of 180 kilometres per hour and whose design is inspired by Delhi’s iconic Lotus Temple. It will run on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor and reduce travel time between the two cities to about an hour. The semi-high-speed aerodynamic trainsets will have a 2 + 2 transverse seating arrangement with comfortable seat pitches, standing spaces and automatic plug-in type sliding doors. The new trains will accommodate around 900 passengers in the three-car train configuration for the Meerut local transit services. When configured into six-car trainsets for RRTS, the trains will be able to accommodate as many as 1,790 passengers.

 

3. Assam govt to provide loan to entrepreneurs to revive tourism sector: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced a new scheme under which loan up to ₹20 lakh with interest subsidy would be provided to entrepreneurs to revive the tourism industry, the worst- affected sector by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the ‘Paryatan Sanjeevani Scheme’, loan between ₹1 lakh and ₹20 lakh will be extended to interested local youths to take up new initiatives so that the tourism sector gets a fresh lease of life amid the coronavirus crisis. As part of the scheme, the advances will be provided for five years, while the state government will give first year’s interest and will be a one-year moratorium on repayment.

 

4. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur named FTII governing council chairman: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced Shekhar Kapur as the new President of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Society and Chairman of FTII Governing Council. His tenure will be till March 3, 2023. Kapur, known for films like Masoom (1983), Mr India (1987), Elizabeth (1998) and Bandit Queen (1994), will replace television producer BP Singh. Singh’s tenure had ended in March 2020 but he was given an extension owing to the coronavirus situation.

Note: The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was set up by the Government of India in 1960, in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studios in Pune.

 

5. Rajnath Singh launches author Dr Krishna Saksena’s ‘A bouquet of flowers’: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a book titled ‘A bouquet of flowers’ written by Dr Krishna Saksena. Dr Krishna Saksena is the first lady to get a PhD, in 1955 from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The book has been designed to allow the readers to travel their own journey and arrive at their own very personal realization and be inspired by it. Through this book, Dr Saksena presents a series of anecdotes that allow the reader to extract the moral of the stories.

 

6. Aamir Khan appointed brand ambassador for online tutor company Vedantu: Bollywood actor, Aamir Khan has been appointed as the brand ambassador of online live tutoring company Vedantu. Aamir will be seen in Vedantu’s new ad campaign which aims to make quality LIVE online learning accessible to every child in India.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NITI Aayog & Embassy of the Netherlands signs Statement of Intent: NITI Aayog and Embassy of the Netherlands, New Delhi, has signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to support the decarbonization and energy transition agenda for accommodating cleaner and more energy. The focus of the partnership is on co-creating innovative technological solutions by leveraging the expertise of the two entities. Through this collaboration, NITI Aayog and the Dutch Embassy seek a strategic partnership to create a platform that enables a comprehensive collaboration among stakeholders and influencers, including policymakers, industry bodies, OEMs, private enterprises, and sector experts.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog: Amitabh Kant.

Prime Minister of Netherland: Mark Rutte; Capital of Netherland: Amsterdam; Currency of Netherland: Euro.

 

2. India extends USD 15 million aid to Sri Lanka for promoting Buddhist ties: Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has announced a grant assistance of USD 15 million to Sri Lanka for the promotion of Buddhist ties between the two countries. The grant will be used for deepening people-to-people linkages between the two countries in the field of Buddhism. Mr Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa held the first-ever India-Sri Lanka Virtual Bilateral Summit. They agreed that the Indian side would facilitate the visit of a delegation of Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka in the first inaugural flight to Sacred City of Kushinagar. Kushinagar Airport was designated as an international airport recently recognizing its importance as a Buddhist site. Both sides also agreed to explore opportunities in the areas of Ayurveda and Yoga.

 

3. International Translation Day: 30th September: International Translation Day is observed on 30th September every year. The day aims to celebrate the work of language translation professionals which facilitates dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to the development and strengthening world peace and security. The day also marks the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. International Translation Day 2020 theme: “Finding the words for a world in crisis”.

Note: International Federation of Translators President: Kevin Quirk; International Federation of Translators Secretary-General: Real Paquette.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Vakrangee gets RBI approval to set up BBPS unit: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted in-principle approval to Vakrangee Ltd to set up Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) to handle payment services related to bills. With in-principle authorisation from RBI, Vakrangee Ltd will set up and operate BBPOU under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and will now be able to directly handle payment and aggregation of payment services relating to bills under the scope of BBPS (Bharat Bill Payment System).

The company offers banking, insurance, money transfer services, e-commerce, e-governance and other digital services on behalf of its partner banks, insurers, government agencies, e-commerce players among others through its branches mostly located in rural and semi-urban areas.

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

 

2. IDBI Bank becomes 1st bank to enable document embedding feature on SFMS: Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) become the first to implement the new feature of document embedding facility with Letter of Credit (LC) / Bank Guarantee (BG) messages over SFMS (Structured Financial Messaging System) platform of Indian Financial Technology and Allied Services (IFTAS). The process would be conducted via a middleware application “i@Connect-SFMS (CSFMS) developed by IDBI Intech. This new feature of “document embedding” provides banks with the functionality of transmitting a “pdf” document up to 1MB size along with the LC / BG messages. Through this feature, there will be the transmission of digitally signed documents which ensure the reliability of the transaction. The objective of this new feature is to further digitise the trade finance transactions and to secure the financial communication system.

Note: IFTAS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India (RBI); IFTAS Chairman: Tavarna Rabi Sankar; IFTAS CEO: Dr N. Rajendran; IFTAS Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

IDBI Bank Chairman: MR Kumar; IDBI Bank MD & CEO: Rakesh Sharma; IDBI Bank Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra; IDBI BankTagline: Banking for All, Aao sochein Bada.

 

3. Flipkart & Bajaj Allianz launch cyber insurance cover: E-commerce marketplace, Flipkart and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance have launched a cyber insurance cover for online financial frauds. The product, ‘Digital Suraksha Group Insurance’, will help customers who want to cover themselves against financial losses caused as a result of cyber attacks, cyber frauds, or other such malicious activities across various online platforms. Customers can opt for a one-year cover at premiums as low as Rs 183 for a cover of ₹50,000. It will compensate for direct financial loss (up to the sum insured) due to unauthorised digital financial transactions as a result of identity theft arising out of cyber-attacks, phishing/spoofing, and SIM-jacking.

Note: Flipkart headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; Flipkart CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy.

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance CEO: Tapan Singhel; Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Kerala Tourism wins PATA Grand Award 2020: Kerala Tourism’s ‘Human by Nature Print Campaign’ bagged the Prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Grand Title Winner 2020 for Marketing. The awards were announced during a presentation ceremony of Virtual PATA Travel Mart 2020 in Beijing. The PATA Awards are supported and sponsored by Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO).

About Human by Nature Print Campaign: ‘Human by Nature’ was a marketing strategy to revive tourism that was hit by the 2018 floods and the Nipah outbreak. Showcasing culture and daily life of the people, it was conceptualised and scripted by Stark Communications. The campaign had helped Kerala Tourism achieve record growth of 17.2% in tourism arrivals in 2019, the highest in 24 years.

PATA Grand Title Winners 2020:

 

S.No.	PATA Grand Title Category	winner
1	PATA Grand Title Winner 2020 for Marketing	‘Human by Nature Print Campaign’ by Kerala Tourism, India
2	PATA Grand Title Winner 2020 for Sustainability	‘Anurak Community Lodge’ by YAANA Ventures, Thailand
3	PATA Grand Title Winner 2020 in Human Capital Development	‘Unleashing Greatness’ by MGM China, Macao, China

 

Note: Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Chairman: Chris Bottrill; Pacific Asia Travel Association Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand.

 

2. Sonu Sood honoured with Special Humanitarian Action Award by UNDP: Bollywood actor, Sonu Sood has been conferred the prestigious SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 28 September 2020 during a virtual ceremony. He has received the award for selflessly extending a helping hand and sending lakhs of migrants, stranded students across geographies abroad, back to their homes. Besides that, he has also been providing free education and medical facilities to young children and has been creating free employment opportunities to the needy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this prestigious honour, Sood joins the likes of Angelina Jolie, David Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Watson, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas, Nicole Kidman and Priyanka Chopra who have been similarly honoured by different UN bodies.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. BrahMos Missile featuring Indigenous Booster successfully flight tested: BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile featuring indigenous Booster and Airframe Section along with many other ‘Made in India’ sub-systems was successfully flight tested from ITR, Balasore in Odisha. It is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content. The BrahMos Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8.

The successful flight testing of BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile featuring indigenous Booster has paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System realising Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge.

Note: Union Minister of Defence: Shri Rajnath Singh.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran writer and critic Dr. G S Amur passes away: Veteran writer and critic Dr G S Amur passed away. He was proficient in Kannada and English languages. He had won many awards including Sahitya Akademi Award, Rajyotsava Award and Bharatiya Bhasha Award. Some of his books are: English: ‘Forbidden Fruit, Views on Indo-Anglian Fiction’ and ‘Colonial Consciousness in Commonwealth Literature’. Kannada: ‘Arthaloka’, Are Kannada Kadambariya Belavanige’, ‘Vyavasaya’ and ‘Kaadambariya Swaroopa’.

 

2. Veteran songwriter Abhilash passes away: Veteran songwriter, Abhilash passed away. He was best known for the song ‘Itni Shakti Hame Dena Daata’ from the 1986 film Ankush. His real name was Om Prakash. His song ‘Itni Shakti Hame Dena Daata’ has been translated into eight languages and is played as a prayer song across schools and other institutions even today. In a career spanning five decades, Abhilash wrote songs for films such as Raftaar (1975) and Awara Ladki (1975) and worked for composers such as Usha Khanna and Bappi Lahiri. He also wrote songs for films such as Sawan Ko Aane Do (1979), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988) and Hulchul (1995). 

Daily GK Updates – 29th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dr Harsh Vardhan launches ICMR’s vaccine web portal: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the ICMR’s vaccine web portal and National Clinical Registry for Covid-19. This vaccine web portal will provide information related to the COVID-19 vaccine development in India and abroad. Through this, all the information about the vaccine development would be provided in a simple and transparent manner. The National COVID-19 Clinical Registry will collect data regarding clinical and laboratory investigations, treatments, management protocols and outcomes of hospitalized COVID patients in India. ICMR’s Mobile Stroke Unit was also launched. The Mobile Stroke Unit will ensure timely and appropriate treatment to people suffering from heart disease and hypertension.

 

2. PFC signs MoU with Govt. of India detailing targets for FY 2020-21: Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) has signed a performance-based Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Power, Government of India detailing various targets to be achieved by PFC during Fiscal Year 2020-21. Government of India has set an ambitious revenue target of Rs. 36,000 Crores. This target has been set along with various performance-related parameters such as Operating Profit as percentage of Revenue from Operation, PAT as a percentage of Average Net-worth and Non-financial parameters viz., IPDS-related parameters. PFC has been delivering exemplary performance from the past years and the ratings from the Government of India stands testimony to the performance.

Note: Chairman of Power Finance Corporation Ltd: Shri Ravinder Singh Dhillon.

Minister of State (I/C) for Power: Raj Kumar Singh.

 

3. KVIC appoints Sunil Sethi as its Advisor: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission has appointed Sunil Sethi as its Advisor. Sunil Sethi is the Chairman of the Fashion Design Council of India. He has been appointed for a period of one year. He will succeed fashion designer Ritu Beri. Sunil Sethi will advise the Commission on latest design interventions in the readymade garments segment as well as promotion of Khadi in India and abroad. Sustainable growth of Khadi in the fashion industry, both locally and internationally, is the key idea behind the appointment.

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

 

4. GoI appoints P.D. Vaghela as new chairman of TRAI: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed P.D. Vaghela as the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI). He will succeed RS Sharma, who was at the helm of the sector regulator for five years. He is currently in the department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, where he was appointed as the secretary for a year till 30 September.

Note: Telecom Regulatory of India Founded: 20 February 1997; Telecom Regulatory of India Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

5. Union Ministers inaugurate Post-Harvest Management Centre for medicinal plants, AYUSH units in J&K: Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik and Union Minister of State PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh jointly laid e-foundation of Post-Harvest Management Centre for Medicinal Plants at Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir. 21 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres were also e-inaugrated across different districts of the Union Territory. Work is underway for establishing 194 health and wellness centres in Jammu and Kashmir this year and the Ministry of AYUSH has provided Rs 12.81-crore central grant for this purpose. There is a target of establishing 319 such centres in the Union Territory in the next three years.

 

6. Kerala to have one of the first medical device parks: Kerala will soon house one of the first medical device parks in the country, focusing on the high-risk medical device sector to provide a full range of services for the medical devices industry like Research and Development (R and D) support, testing, and evaluation. MedSpark is going to be established at the Life Science Park, Thonnakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram district. The medical devices park is envisaged as a joint initiative of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of the DST, and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Moctar Ouane appointed as new Prime Minister of Mali: The interim President of Mali, Bah Ndaw, has named former Malian Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane as the new prime minister of Mali. Moctar Ouane has served as Mali’s ambassador to the United Nations from 1995-2002, and as foreign minister from 2004-2009 during Amadou Toumani Toure’s presidency.

Note: Republic of Mali Capital: Bamako; Currency: West African CFA franc.

 

2. International Week of the Deaf: 21st-27th September 2020: Every year, the last full week of September ending on the last Sunday is observed as the International Week of the Deaf (IWD). In 2020, it was held from September 21-27. The week ends on the last Sunday of the month of September and that day is celebrated as the World Day of Deaf or International Day of the Deaf (September 27, 2020). It is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy to commemorate the month when the first World Congress of the WFD was held. The theme of 2020 IWD is “Reaffirming Deaf People’s Human Rights”

 

3. International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: 29th September: In 2020, the world is observing the first edition of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste to promote and implement global efforts to resolve the issue of food wastage. The United Nations General Assembly designated 29 September as International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in 2019. The theme for 2020 is “Stop food loss and waste. For the people. For the planet”. The main objective of this day is to take steps towards responsible consumption and production as well as zero hunger, along with working towards addressing the problem of climate change through sustainable food habits.

 

4. World Heart Day: 29th September: World Heart Day is observed on 29th September annually to draw people’s attention to heart illness and the range of associated health issues. The day which is celebrated annually creates awareness of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) including heart disease & stroke and highlights the preventive and control measures. The theme for World Heart Day 2020: “Use Heart To Beat Cardiovascular Disease”.

Note: World Heart Federation Founded: 2000; World Heart Federation Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland; World Heart Federation Chairman: Rajeev Gupta.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. All India Football Federation awards 2019-20 announced: All India Football Federation (AIFF) awards 2019-20 has announced. Indian men’s team Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has won the 2019-’20 AIFF Player of the year awards in men’s category. The women’s squad’s midfielder Sanju Yadav from Haryana has won the 2019-’20 AIFF Player of the year awards in women’s category.

Here is the complete list of 2019-20 AIFF AWARDS:

2019-20 AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

2019-20 AIFF Women’s Player of the Year: Sanju Yadav.

2019-20 AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year: Anirudh Thapa.

2019-20 AIFF Emerging Women’s Footballer of the Year:  Ratanbala Devi.

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee: P. Vaira-Muthu (from Tamil Nadu).

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Referee: L. Ajit Kumar Meetei (from Manipur).

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme: West Bengal (based on E-licence courses and Golden Baby Leagues).

Note: President of AIFF: Praful Patel; AIFF founded: 23 June 1937; FIFA affiliation of AIFF: 1948; Headquarters of AIFF: Dwarka, Delhi.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI Card starts new brand campaign ‘Contactless Connections’: SBI Card has launched its new brand campaign titled ‘Contactless Connections’, which aims to spreads the message that love and care can be shared even during this difficult period where social distancing is the norm. The campaign endeavours to bring a fresh breath of positivity by demonstrating that people can connect emotionally and spread joy despite the social distancing practices by which we are bound. Contactless payments, enabled by SBI Card, allow consumers to simply wave their card or phone or scan a QR code to make safe, secure payments, without handing over their card or punching in the PIN.

Note: CEO of SBI Card: Ashwini Kumar Tewari; Founded: October 1998; SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana.

 

2. RBI approves 3-member committee of directors for Lakshmi Vilas Bank; Head- Meeta Makhan: The Reserve Bank of India has appointed a 3 member Committee of Directors (CoD) to look after the affairs of Lakshmi Vilas Bank. The three members are- Meeta Makhan, Shakti Sinha, and Satish Kumar Kalra. Meeta Makhan is the head of this Committee of Directors (CoD). This comes after, RBO had earlier removed seven directors of the board of LVB.

 

3. Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) - Extension of Relaxation extended till March 31, 2020: The Reserve Bank of India has extended the timeline for which banks can avail funds under the marginal standing facility (MSF) at the rate of 3% of its NDTL till March 31, 2021. Normally, banks are allowed to avail maximum funds under MSF from RBI at 2% of its net demand and time liabilities (NDTL). After COVID-19, RBI had allowed banks to dip 1% extra to this limit, that is now banks could borrow money from RBI under MSF, at 3%.

 

4. RBI ropes in Amitabh Bachchan for customer awareness campaign: The Reserve Bank of India has roped in Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan for the customer awareness campaign. The campaign aims to prevent gullible account holders from being duped by fraudsters. As part of the RBI’s public awareness initiative, the regulator will keep informing customers about dos and don’ts that have to be followed by them to transact safely and securely. The regulator has been running the campaign for more than a year not only in English and Hindi but in various regional languages for maximum reach. It keeps on repeating the message so that people don’t forget their rights and responsibilities.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ICRA projects India’s GDP for FY21 to contact by 11%: Rating agency ICRA has revised its forecast for the contraction in India’s FY21 GDP to 11 per cent from its earlier assessment of 9.5 per cent. The reason behind contraction is an increase in a growing number of COVID-19 cases in India. Besides, the agency revised its year-on-year (YoY) forecasts for Q3FY21 to (-) 5.4 per cent from (-) 2.3 per cent and Q4FY21 to (-)2.5 per cent from (+) 1.3 per cent.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Usha Mangeshkar honoured with Lata Mangeshkar award 2020-21: The Maharashtra government has announced the Gan Samragni Lata Mangeshkar award for the year 2020-21 to veteran female playback singer Usha Mangeshkar. The award is given by the cultural department of the state government. The award includes a cash prize of five lakh rupees, a certificate and a memento. The veteran singer has sung songs in Marathi, Hindi and several other Indian language films. Her songs from the film ‘Subah ka Tara’, ‘Jay Santoshi Maa’, ‘Azad’, ‘Chitrlekha’, ‘Khatta Meetha’, ‘Kala Pathar’, ‘Naseeb’, ‘Khubsurat’, ‘Disco Dancer’, ‘Inkar’ ruled the chartbuster.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. ITBP chief S S Deswal given additional charge of NSG DG: ITBP Director General, S S Deswal has been given the additional charge of counter-terrorism force National Security Guard (NSG) as its incumbent chief A K Singh is going to retire on September 30. This is the second time that Deswal, a 1984-batch Indian Police Service officer, has been directed to lead the NSG in an additional capacity.

About National Security Guard: The NSG was raised as the federal contingency force in 1984 to undertake specific counter-terrorism operations and hijack-like incidents. The ”black cat” commandos of the force are based in five hubs across the country, apart from their main garrison in Gurgaon”s Manesar. They also render personal security to some high-risk VVIPs like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and some chief ministers.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Assam’s only woman CM Syeda Anwara Taimur passes away: Assam’s first and only woman chief minister, Syeda Anwara Taimur passed away. A four-time Congress MLA beginning with her first election in 1972, Taimur held portfolios like education before becoming chief minister for a brief period from December 6, 1980, to June 30, 1981. She was nominated for a Rajya Sabha term in 1988. She joined the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in 2011. 

Daily GK Updates – 28th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s top regulator of medical education, National Medical Commission (NMC) comes into existence, replacing Medical Council of India (MCI): India’s new apex regulator of medical education and profession, the National Medical Commission (NMC), came into existence with effect from 25 September 2020.

National Medical Commission (NMC): NMC replaces the Medical Council of India (MCI). Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma, former head of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-ENT department), Delhi, has been appointed as Chairman of NMC for a period of three years. The NMC Board comprises of a chairman, 10 ex-officio members and 22 part-time members. The nearly 64-year-old Indian Medical Council Act has been abolished and replaced with NMC Act, which received the assent of the president on 8th August 2019. The Board of Governors (BoG) of MCI has also been dissolved.

 

2. ADB approves 300 million dollar loan for Rajasthan’s towns: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 300 million dollar loan to finance inclusive water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services in secondary towns of Rajasthan. The project is expected to build citywide access for improved water supply services for about 5.7 lakh people. It will also enhance the sanitation services for about 7.2 lakh people in at least 14 secondary towns. Through the project, water supply systems in at least eight project towns are expected to improve by 2027 with about one lakh households including all urban poor households benefiting from five new or rehabilitated water treatment plants and 1,350 km of distribution networks.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

 

3. MeitY & NITI Aayog to organize “RAISE 2020” summit: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog will organize a summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020′ from October 5-9, 2020. RAISE 2020 will be a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors. At the RAISE 2020 Summit, delegates and experts in research, policy and innovation on Artificial Intelligence will join from across the globe. The RAISE 2020 Summit will also feature some of the most exciting startups working in Artificial Intelligence-related fields. The Summit will explore in-depth, the role of AI in accelerating social empowerment.

Note: CEO of NITI Aayog: Amitabh Kant.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

 

4. 51st edition of IFFI postponed to January 2021: The 51st Edition of the International Film Festival of India, IFFI will be held from 16th to 24th January, next year in Goa. Earlier it was scheduled to be held from 20th November to 28th November, this year. It has also been jointly decided to hold the festival on new dates as per the International Film Festival guidelines and protocols. The festival will be conducted in a Virtual and Physical format. All COVID related protocols will be strictly enforced as per the festivals convened recently in the International Film Festival circuit.

 

5. IIT Madras Develops ‘MOUSHIK’ Microprocessor For IoT Devices: The Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have come up with an indigenously-made Microprocessor, named ‘MOUSHIK.’ Moushik is a processor cum System on Chip(SoC), which means that, as a processor it can execute the instructions and as a SoC, different components can be attached to the it. Moushik is the third in the series of six computer chips being designed as a part of the Shakti Microprocessor programme of IIT Madras.  The Project Shakti is funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Prakash Javadekar addresses virtual Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue on Biodiversity Beyond 2020: The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar represented India at the virtual Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue on Biodiversity held on 24 September 2020. The theme of the Ministerial Dialogue was Biodiversity Beyond 2020: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth. The event was hosted by China, ahead of the upcoming United Nation Summit on Biodiversity on 30 September 2020. Around 15 ministerial representatives as well as the heads from relevant international organizations participated in the event to exchange views on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Mr. Javadekar also informed that India aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land, and achieve land-degradation neutrality by 2030.

 

2. Lebanon’s PM designate Mustapha Adib steps down: The Prime Minister-designate of Lebanon, Mustapha Adib has announced his resignation following his failure to form a new cabinet. Mustapha Adib, Lebanon’s former ambassador to Germany, was selected for the post on 31 August 2020. The previous government led by Hassan Diab resigned following the Beirut port blast on August 4 that killed some 200 people and left thousands homeless.

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

 

3. S. Jaishankar participates in virtual Informal Meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers : The Union Minister of External Affairs  of the Republic of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, represented India in the annual Informal Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers on 24th September 2020, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The meeting was held in virtual mode under the chairmanship of Nepal and reviewed regional efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Such Informal meetings are being held since 1997.

 

4. World’s top emitter China aims to go Carbon Neutral by 2060: Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country will aim to stop pumping additional carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas, into the atmosphere by 2060. Citing the Paris Agreement that he and former US President Barack Obama helped forge in 2015, Xi said his country would raise its emissions reduction targets with vigorous policies and measures. We aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Many countries have pledged they will aim to go carbon neutral by 2050, including the European Union.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency: Renminbi

 

5. World Tourism Day: 27 September: World Tourism Day is observed globally on 27th September every year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. This date was chosen by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day, with the theme of “Tourism and Rural Development”, will celebrate the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all around the world.

Note: United Nations World Tourism Organization Headquarters location: Madrid, Spain; United Nations World Tourism Organization Head: Zurab Pololikashvili; United Nations World Tourism Organization Founded: 1 November 1974.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Neetu David becomes new head of India women’s selection committee: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Neetu David, one of finest woman cricketers of India in the late ’90s and early 2000, as the Chairman of the 5 member women’s national selection panel. The other member of the newly-elected panel includes Mithu Mukherjee, Renu Margrate, Arati Vaidya and V Kalpana. The Neetu David-led panel has been appointed for a period of four years. It replaces the previous panel, led by Hemlata Kala, whose term ended in March 2020. The first assignment of the David-led panel will be to pick three teams for the Women’s T20 Challenge, to held in UAE in November 2020 alongside the IPL play-offs.

Note: BCCI interim CEO: Hemang Amin; BCCI President: Sourav Ganguly; BCCI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; BCCI Founded: December 1928.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI to launch “Positive Pay System” for Cheque Truncation System: The Reserve Bank of India has announced that it will launch “Positive Pay System” for Cheque Truncation System from 01st January, 2021. The “Positive Pay System” will be developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and make it available to participant banks. Banks will be required to enable the system for all account holders issuing cheques for amounts of Rs 50,000 and above. While availing of this facility is at the discretion of the account holder, banks may consider making it mandatory in case of cheques for amounts of Rs 5,00,000 and above.

The RBI had announced the Positive Pay mechanism in order to prevent frauds with high value cheques. Under this mechanism, cheques will be processed for payment by the drawee bank based on information passed on by its customer at the time of issuance of cheque. Banks are advised to create adequate awareness among their customers on features of Positive Pay System through SMS alerts, display in branches, ATMs as well as through their web-site and internet banking.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. NCAER predicts India GDP for FY21 at -12.6%: The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has projected the GDP growth for the Indian economy at -12.6% For 2020-21 (FY21) with the remaining three quarters expected to witness a fall. For 2021-22, NCAER projects the GDP of India to grow by 7%.

Note: National Council of Applied Economic Research Headquarters location: New Delhi; National Council of Applied Economic Research Founded: 1956.

 

2. Visa extends global partnership with IFundWomen to entrepreneurs in India: Visa has announced the launch of a grant program in India to support women entrepreneurs with its partner, IFundWomen. As an extension of two programs launched in the US this year, women entrepreneurs in India will now receive funding from Visa to grow and expand their business. Visa’s partnership with IFundWomen is designed to help women entrepreneurs secure the funding they need through a series of grants.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India Successfully test-fires indigenously developed surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile: India successfully test-fired the indigenously developed nuclear-capable missile Prithvi-II, on 23 September 2020, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur off the Odisha coast. The trial of the surface-to-surface missile was a routine exercise by the DRDO. Prithvi-II missile has a strike range of 350 km. It is capable of carrying 500 to 1000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Noted Economist Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia passes away: Noted economist Isher Judge Ahluwalia (74 years) passed away in New Delhi due to brain cancer. She served as the director and chairperson of Delhi-based Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) for 15 years building ICRIER into a leading global think tank. She was awarded with Padma Bhushan in 2009 in the field of education and literature. Her books include Breaking Through, Industrial Growth in India and Growth in Indian Manufacturing.