Daily GK Updates - 3rd Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates VAIBHAV 2020 Summit: On 2nd October 2020, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit, a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian Researchers and Academicians. The summit will conclude on the occasion of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Jayanti on 31st October 2020. The VAIBHAV Summit 2020 has been organised to celebrate Science and Innovation from India and the World. More than 3000 overseas Indian origin academicians and scientists from 55 countries and about 10,000 from India are taking part in the month-long Summit. It is being organized by 200 Indian academic institutes and S&T departments, led by Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India. The aim of the summit is to bring out a comprehensive roadmap leveraging the expertise and knowledge of global Indian researchers for addressing emerging challenges for universal development.

 

2. Shri Arjun Munda launches Tribal Entrepreneurship Development Programme: Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda has launched the Tribal Entrepreneurship Development Programme. The three-year initiative has been jointly launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), an apex industry body. The initiative will develop the potential of the tribal communities and building their capacities to enhance their contribution in socio-economic growth. To mark the ‘Launch of Tribal Entrepreneurship Development Programme’, ASSOCHAM also conducted a webinar titled, ‘Khadi: Symbol of independent Atmanirbhar Bharat’ to commemorate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi and to celebrate upliftment, inclusion and empowerment of our underprivileged, marginalized and impoverished communities.

 

3. NABARD launches special refinance facility for WASH programme: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced a special refinance facility of Rs 800 crore for Fiscal Year 2021. With this, NABARD will support the Government of India’s Water, Sanitisation and Hygiene (WASH) programme. NABARD will provide concessional refinance to all eligible financial institutions including commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks with a repayment period of up to 36 months. The support will be channelised to fund WASH activities, a thrust area eligible for 95% refinance. The bank credit will also be extended to NBFCs-MFIs and other MFIs (Societies, Trusts).

Note: Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development: G R Chintala.

 

4. DRDO successfully test fires laser-guided anti-tank guided missile: The indigenously developed Laser Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test fired by DRDO on 1st Oct 2020. It defeated a target located at longer range. The trial was the second such successful test firing of the missile, after a similar successful trial done on 22nd September 2020. The test was conducted from MBT Arjun at KK ranges (ACC&S) Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. This Laser guided ATGM has been developed by Armament R&D Establishment (ARDE), Pune in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune and Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun. It has a tandem HEAT warhead to destroy Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles in ranges from 1.5 to 5 km. The missile is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from 120 mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun.

 

5. West Bengal launches “Pathashree Abhijan” scheme for road repair: West Bengal government has launched the “Pathashree Abhijan” scheme. It is a road repair scheme, where more than 7,000 stretches of roads comprising 12,000 kilometers across the state will be repaired in a mission mode and in a time-bound manner. The government of West Bengal has collated a list of the roads that will be repaired under the new scheme as the people of the state reached out to the Chief Minister through the ‘Didi Ke Bolo’ initiative of the government.

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

 

6. Assam CM launches ‘Kritagyata’ for online pension submission and tracking: Chief Minister of Assam has launched a portal “Kritagyata”, an online pension submission and tracking system. It has been launched to lend convenience to the pensioners to dispose off their pension related claims. With the help of the portal, the retired government employees will submit the pension related papers online and will also get opportunity to check the status of his pension. The portal has been launched in line with the “Bhabhisya” portal of Government of India.

Note: Chief Minister of Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Prof. Jagdish Mukhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India signs USD 90 million defence deal with US to buy spares for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft: India and the United States have entered into a defence deal worth $90-million, wherein US would provide equipment, spare parts and logistical support for India’s fleet of C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft. The deal will further strengthen India-US strategic relations and advance political stability, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. As per the deal, the US will repair the C-130J Super Hercules to India, as well as supply spare part and ground support. India has also ordered an AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning system, 10 lightweight night vision binoculars, 10 night vision glasses, GPS and electronic warfare to the US.

 

2. US commits USD 1.9 mn to India to support informal sector workers amid COVID-19: The United States has announced a financial aid of USD 1.9 million for India to support vulnerable populations like informal sector workers whose livelihoods have been disrupted due to COVID-19. The fund will be extended by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to support efforts to rebuild local economies and improve the livelihoods of Indians who have been hit hardest by this pandemic.

 

3. India to build 100-bedded hospital, 22,000-seater stadium in Maldives: India will build a 100-bedded cancer hospital and a 22,000-seater cricket stadium in Hulhumale, Maldives, under the USD 800 million Line of Credit (LoC) that was extended to the country last year. This project will build on the already close bilateral cooperation in the health sector and include a robust component of human resource development. Projects covered under the LoC include several infrastructure development projects.

 

4. Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The month of October is observed as breast cancer awareness month to increase awareness of the disease. There are about 1.38 million new cases and 458 000 deaths from breast cancer each year (IARC Globocan, 2008). Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries. WHO promotes comprehensive breast cancer control programmes as part of national cancer control plans. The recommended early detection strategies for low- and middle-income countries are awareness of early signs and symptoms and screening by clinical breast examination in demonstration areas.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. CBDT Extends Deadline for filing ITR for assessment year 2019-20 to November 30: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has once again extended the last date for filing income tax returns (ITR) for assessment year 2019-20, (financial year 2018-19). The new deadline is 30 November 2020. Earlier the last date for filing the ITR of the year concerned was September 30. This is the fourth time that the deadline is being extended for AY 2019-20 due to the difficulties being faced by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was first revised till June 30, then July 31, then September 30 and now till November 30. It must also be noted that the deadline for filing ITR for assessment year 2020-21 (which is financial year 2019-20), is also November 30.

 

2. IDBI Bank becomes first bank to enable document embedding feature on Structured Financial Messaging System (SFMS): IDBI Bank has become the first bank in India to have implemented the new feature of document embedding facility with ‘Letter of Credit’ (LC) or ‘Bank Guarantee’ (BG) messages over the Structured Financial Messaging System (SFMS) platform of IFTAS which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India. 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 of up to 1 MB along with the LC or BG messages

 

3. RBI Excludes 6 PSBs from Second Schedule of RBI Act: The RBI has excluded six public sector banks, including OBC and Allahabad Bank, from the Second Schedule of the RBI Act following their merger with other banks. The six banks are Syndicate Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), United Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, and Allahabad Bank. These six banks merged with other public sector banks (PSBs) with effect from April 1.There were as many as 27 PSBs in 2017. The total number of PSBs in the country has now come down to 12.

 

4. SBI appoints Charanjit Attra as CFO: The State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed Charanjit Singh Attra as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 01 October 2020. The post was lying vacant after the former Deputy MD & CFO Prashant Kumar, was appointed as the CEO of Yes Bank in March 2020. C Venkat Nageshwar was serving the post on interim capacity. Attra is a former Partner at global consulting firm EY India and had also served as the CFO at the ICICI Securities.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Colombian journalist-turned-activist Jineth Bedoya Lima wins Golden Pen of Freedom award: Colombian journalist Jineth Bedoya Lima, who was abducted, tortured and sexually assaulted on her way to interview an infamous paramilitary warlord in Bogota in 2000 was awarded the Golden Pen of Freedom award by the World Association of News Publishers (Wan-Ifra). The award, made virtually due to current COVID-19 restrictions, recognises “Ms. Bedoya Lima’s dedication to the profession of journalism, her tireless work in promoting and protecting the rights of women, and her courage in confronting and overcoming her own personal tragedy with a level of dignity and determination that serves as inspiration to peers the world over.”

 

2. Founder of Sari Recycling Project Wins Goldman Sachs And Fortune Global Women Leaders Award: Rayana Edwards, the South African who started a project to empower women to recycle saris into internationally-acclaimed fashion garments, has been named as a joint winner of this year’s Goldman Sachs and Fortune Global Women Leaders award(USD 25,000). The other winner was Emma Dicks, founder of CodeSpace Academy, a coding school. The annual award is made possible through a partnership between the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program and Fortune’s Most Powerful Women franchise, and is given each year to outstanding women from around the world who are working to empower others in their communities and countries.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 2nd edition of India-Bangladesh Navy Bilateral Exercise “Bongosagar”: The second edition of Indian Navy (IN) – Bangladesh Navy (BN) Bilateral Exercise Bongosagar commences in Northern Bay of Bengal. Exercise Bongosagar, is aimed at developing inter-operability and joint operational skills through conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations. In the 2nd edition of Bilateral Exercise Bongosagar, ships from both navies will participate in surface warfare drills, seamanship evolutions and helicopter operations. This exercise will be followed by the 3rd edition of IN – BN Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) in Northern Bay of Bengal from 4 to 5 October 2020, wherein IN and BN units will undertake joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Social activist Pushpa Bhave passes away: Veteran social activist Prof Pushpa Bhave, also known as the Iron Lady of Mumbai, has passed away following a prolonged illness. She was 81. Bhave has been associated with the Rashtra Seva Dal and democratic movements since her student days. She was also an academician and an intellectual, who fought for the rights of common citizens. She had taken part in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement and the Goa liberation movement. 

Daily GK Updates - 2nd Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister launches various services for farmers in Andhra Pradesh: Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri. D.V. Sadananda Gowda has launched POS 3.1 software, SMS Gateway and Home Delivery facility of Fertilizers (RBK) for farmers in Andhra Pradesh. Under POS 3.1 version, keeping in view of prevailing pandemic condition, contactless OTP based authentication option has been introduced. Farmer will be able to purchase fertilizer without touching finger print sensor. The SMS Gateway will periodically send SMS to farmer about availability of fertilizer at retail outlet from where he last purchased the fertilizer. Under an initiative of Home delivery of Fertilizers in Andhra Pradesh through Rythu Bharosa Kendralu (RBK) state Government has launched 10,641 Rythu Bharosa Kendralu (RBKs) in all gram panchayats to provide farmers with quality inputs and allied services.

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

 

2. South Eastern Railway launches ‘Operation My Saheli’: The South Eastern Railways (SER) has launched the project, “Operation my Saheli” to enhance the security of women passengers in the train throughout the entire journey from the originating point to their destinations.

About Operation my Saheli: Since 18th September 2020, the pilot version of the project “Operation my Saheli” has been introduced in 3 trains: Howrah-Yesvantpur Duronto Special, Howrah- Ahmedabad Special and Howrah-Mumbai Special. ”Operation my Saheli” is executed under the Framework of “Nirbhaya Fund” and no additional expenditure is provided by the Head of Railways.

Features of Operation my Saheli: Team of Women Sub Inspectors briefed the women passengers on the safety precautions and provided emergency contact numbers. The team will collect the information such as seat number and contact information of the women passengers and will remain in contact throughout the journey. The collected information will be passed to the stations at the destination and scheduled stoppage stations.

Note: South Eastern Railway General Manager: Sanjay Kumar Mohanty; South Eastern Railway Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal.

 

3. World’s longest span concrete deck extra-dosed cable stayed bridge inaugurated in Hyderabad: Union MoS for Home G Kishan Reddy and Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development KT Rama Rao inaugurated the World’s longest span concrete deck extra-dosed cable-stayed bridge at Durgam Cheruvu of Hyderabad. The bridge was constructed at the cost of Rs 184 crore and it was built by Larsen & Toubro. The cable-stayed bridge portion is 435 m long, including the approaches at both ends, 25.8 m wide with a total of 52 stay cables.

 

4. Tata Steel & CSIR signs MoU to collaborate for CCUS: Tata Steel and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) have signed an MoU to collaborate in the area of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS). The MoU has been signed considering the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) in India’s fight against Climate Change and Global Warming, meeting the growing energy demands and building a strong ecosystem to meet commitments under Paris Agreement. As part of this strategic MoU, the teams from Tata Steel and CSIR will work towards accelerating development and deployment of CCUS technologies in the steel industry. These technologies would expedite transition to a decarbonised economy in other carbon intensive sectors like Power, Cement, and Fertilizer etc.

Note: CEO & MD of Tata Steel: T. V. Narendran.

 

5. Nagaland launches livelihood generation portal for returned migrant workers: The Nagaland government launched a programme to provide skill development training to migrant workers who have returned to the state from other parts of the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The state government, with support from the North East Council, will initially train around 100 such returnees under the ”Livelihood Generation Programme for Returned Migrant Workers”.

 

6. L Adimoolam Elected President of Indian Newspaper Society: L Adimoolam has been elected president of the Indian Newspaper Society, an apex body of the publishers of newspapers, magazines and periodicals in the country. Adimoolam, who succeeds Shailesh Gupta of Mid-Day as the president of INS, belongs to the family of Dinamalar, National Tamil Daily. D  D Purkayastha (Ananda Bazar Patrika) is the deputy president, Mohit Jain (Economic Times) the Vice President and Rakesh Sharma (Aaj Samaj) the Honorary Treasurer of the Society for the year 2020-21.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NDB Bank Approves Loan worth USD 741 million for Mumbai Metro & Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid Rail: The Shanghai-based New Development Bank (NDB) has approved USD 741 million loan for two projects in India which includes Mumbai Metro and the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project. From the total loan approved by the NDB Board, USD 241 million loan is for the Mumbai Metro Rail II Project. The fund will be used for the purpose of implementing a metro rail Line 6 with a length of about 14.47 km to improve Mumbai’s transport and traffic conditions by providing a modern metro system, featuring high-capacity, safe and comfortable mode of transport. Apart from this, the NDB Board has approved a loan of USD 500 million for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Project. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited (NCRTC) will use the fund for construction of a rapid rail corridor connecting the National Capital Territory of Delhi with the cities of Ghaziabad and Meerut located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

 

2. International Day of Non-Violence: 2nd October: Every year, 02 October is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence, to mark the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This day is referred to as Gandhi Jayanti in India. On 15 June 2007 the United Nations General Assembly, voted to establish 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. The day aims to “spread the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness. The year 2020 marks 151st birth anniversary of the global peace icon who was born on 2 October 1869, in Porbandar in Gujarat.

 

3. World Day for Farmed Animals: 2nd October: Every Year since 1983, the World Day for Farmed Animals (WDFA) is observed on 2nd October, which marks the birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi. The day is organised by the International animals’ welfare organization, World Animal Protection along with the Asia for Animals coalition to show the importance and urgency of farm animal welfare. The day is dedicated to exposing the needless suffering and death of farmed animals who are raised and slaughtered for food.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Alyssa Healy breaks MS Dhoni’s wicketkeeping record in T20Is: Australian woman cricketer and wicketkeeper, Alyssa Healy broke the record of “Most Dismissal by Wicket Keeper” by MS Dhoni’s who made 91 dismissals in 98 T20 Internationals(T20Is) for India. Healy has played 114 T20Is for Australia and broke the record with 92 dismissals in the shortest format of the game during the match against New Zealand in the 2nd T20I of the three-match series at Allan Border Field at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI defers Basel III provisions amid Covid Uncertainty: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has deferred implementation of provisions made under Basel III capital due to uncertainty related to COVID crisis. In this regard, RBI will repel the final tranche of the capital conservation buffer (CCB) and the implementation of net stable funding ratio (NSFR) by six months i.e. April 1, 2021.

About Capital Conservation Buffer: The capital conservation buffer is an additional pool that banks build in normal times for its use during periods of stress. The RBI had asked banks to build up the capital conservation buffer to the required 2.5% in stages. The last stage of 0.625% was to start on Sept. 30, 2020. This has now been deferred to April 1, 2021. The RBI had earlier deferred the implementation by six months from March 31, 2020.

About Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR): The net stable funding ratio requires banks to fund their activities with sufficiently stable sources of funding over a time of a year to reduce future funding risk for banks. As per the prescribed timeline, banks were required to maintain NSFR of 100% from April 1, 2020 but now this deferred it for a second time to April 1, 2021.

Highlights:

(1) RBI increased the timeline for additional market borrowing provided to states/UTs by 6 months.

(2) In April 2020, RBI increased the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) Limits and overdraft (OD) regulations for states and Union Territories (UTs) to provide additional flexibility for dealing with the Covid-19 crisis until September 30, 2020. The Reserve Bank of India has set the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for the second half of the financial year 2020-21 (October 2020 to March 2021) for Central Government at Rs. 1,25,000 crore.

(3) The Reserve Bank will trigger fresh floatation of market loans when the Government of India utilizes 75% of the WMA limit.

(4) Now to further aid the state governments from financial problems, RBI extended this timeline by six months i.e. till March 31, 2021.

(5) Notably, RBI decided to increase the number of days for which a state/ UT can be in overdraft continuously to 21 working days from 14.

(6) Also, the number of days for which a state/ UT can be in overdraft in a quarter was increased to 50 working days from 36.

(7) RBI also extended the enhanced borrowing facility provided to banks under the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) scheme by six months till March 31, 2021. It was initially available up to June 30, 2020, and was later extended up to September 30, 2020, due to economic disruptions amid COVID-19.

 

2. Yes Bank tie-up with BSE to empower small business companies: Yes Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to empower the SME segment through awareness and knowledge-sharing programmes.

About Memorandum of Understanding: Under this MoU, both BSE and Yes Bank will conduct knowledge events for SMEs, export promotion of SME scale companies, in addition to providing banking and financial solutions. This MoU shall further entail services pertaining to the development and imparting industry-specific and related knowledge-based information. The Bank will also offer customised services and products to the listed SME members of the platform and advisory solutions to EXIM potential listed SMEs.

Note: Yes Bank CEO: Prashant Kumar; Yes Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Microsoft acquires video game company ZeniMax: Microsoft announced that it will buy ZeniMax Media, the company that owns well-known video game publisher Bethesda, for $7.5 billion in cash. The deal gives Microsoft access to a raft of successful game franchises, including Fallout, The Elder Scrolls and Doom. It’s the biggest gaming acquisition in Microsoft’s history, after the company bought Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014.

 

DEFENSE

 

1. Indian Coast Guard Vessel Karnaklata Barua commissioned at Kolkata: The Indian Coast Guard Vessel Karnaklata Barua was commissioned at Kolkata. It is the fifth and last in a series of Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. The FPVs are upgraded versions of the inshore patrol vessels with a modified form of the hull and can achieve a speed of 34 knots. Such vessels have also been delivered to Indian Navy by GRSE.

Indian Coast Guard Vessel Karnaklata Barua was named after a teenage freedom fighter who was shot dead in Assam during the Quit India Movement. The other four are ICGS Priyadarshini (named after Indira Gandhi), ICGS Annie Besant, ICGS Kamala Devi (after Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay), and ICGS Amrit Kaur. These ships are suited for patrolling, maritime surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti-poaching operations and also for fishery protection, and rescue and search missions.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Artist KC Sivasankar, illustrator of Vikram and Betaal series, passes away: The legendary artist KC Sivasankar who is best known for illustrating the Vikram Betaal series, has passed away after long illness. He was 97. He is also known for illustrating popular children’s magazine Chandamama aka Ambulimama. He had contributed to the field of art for over 60 years. 

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).