Daily GK Updates - 4th Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi dedicates Atal Tunnel to the nation: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has dedicated Atal Tunnel to the nation, on 3rd October 2020. In December 2019, the Government has decided to name the Rohtang Tunnel as Atal Tunnel in honour of the former Prime Minister and scholar Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had taken the decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass on June 3, 2000, and the foundation stone for the access road to the south portal of the tunnel was laid on May 26, 2002.

About Atal Tunnel: Atal Tunnel is the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). The tunnel has been named after former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Atal tunnel has been built, by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway in Himachal Pradesh. The total length of the tunnel is 9.02 km and at an elevation of 3,100 metres (10,171 ft). The overall cost of completion of the project is around Rs. 3200 crore.

 

2. Swachh Bharat Awards 2020 announced: The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Rattan Lal Kataria virtually conferred the Swachh Bharat 2020 Awards to the best performing States/UTs, districts, blocks, GPs in various categories. The Ministry of Jal Shakti is observing the Swachh Bharat Diwas, 2020 on 2nd October to mark six years of the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The Swachh Bharat 2020 Awards were conferred under three categories which are: Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shauchalaya (SSSS) campaign; Samudayik Shauchalaya Abhiyan (SSA) and Gandagi Se Mukt (GMB) campaign.

Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shauchalaya (SSSS) campaign:

Best State: Gujarat

Best District: Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu

Best Block: Khachrod, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Best Gram Panchayat: Chinnaur, (Salem)

Samudayik Shauchalaya Abhiyan (SSA):

Best State: Uttar Pradesh (GKRA) and Gujarat (Non-Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA)]

Best District: Prayagraj (GKRA) and Bareilly (Non-GKRA)

Best Gram Panchayat: Borigaon, Bongaigaon, Assam.

Gandagi Se Mukt (GMB) campaign:

Best State: Telangana and Haryana.

Best District: Moga, Punjab.

 

3. Odisha CM Patnaik launches initiative to make Odisha ‘slum-free’ in next 3 years: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a slum upgradation programme to make the state slum free in three years. All slums in the state will be converted into model colonies in the next three years. The process will start immediately in 1,000 slums and then it will be scaled up to cover each and every slum. The chief minister also dedicated 116 multi-purpose community centres in the slums which would act as the social lifeline of people living there.

 

4. ISRO to launch its Venus Mission in 2025, France to take part: ISRO is scheduled to launch its Venus mission in 2025 and France will participate in it. The VIRAL (Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker) instrument co-developed with the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos and the LATMOS atmospheres, environments and space observations laboratory attached to the French national scientific research centre CNRS has been selected by the ISRO after a request for proposals. CNES will coordinate and prepare the French contribution, the first time a French payload will be flown on an Indian exploration mission.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NASA launched SS Kalpana Chawla Cargo Spacecraft to ISS: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched the Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft named “SS Kalpana Chawla” after its astronaut  Kalpana Chawla. The spacecraft was launched on an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, United States (US) to deliver nearly 8,000 pounds of scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, commercial products, and other cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).

About Kalpana Chawla: Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to enter space and was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle in Columbia disaster when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003.

Note: Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Jim Bridenstine; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States.

 

2. World Animal Day: 4th October: World Animal Day is observed every year on October 4 across the globe. The day aims to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. The day was originated by cytologist Heinrich Zimmermann, who organized the first World Animal Day on 24 March 1925 at the Sport Palace in Berlin, Germany, which was moved to 4 October 1929. The day was officially accepted by International Animal Protection Congress in Florence Italy in 1931.

 

3. World Space Week: 4th-10th October:  World Space Week (WSW) is observed from October 4 to 10 every year to celebrate science and technology, and their contribution towards the betterment of the human condition. The 2020 theme is “Satellites Improve Life.” WSW was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 6, 1999. The dates commemorate the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, on 4 October 1957 and the entry into force of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies on 10 October 1967.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Visnu Shivaraj Pandian wins International Online Shooting Championship: India’s Visnu Shivaraj Pandian has won the 10m air rifle event at the fifth edition of the International Online Shooting Championship. The 16-year-old Visnu shot 251.4 to win the title by a clear margin of two points. The world No. 27 Etienne Germond of France came second followed by Martin Strempfl of Austria at third place. The championship was participated by 15 countries and is being held for 2 days.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for the Third Quarter 2020-21 (Oct-Dec): The government has kept the interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for the third quarter (Q3) October-December quarter of the financial year 2020-21 amid moderating bank deposit rates. Interest rates for small savings schemes are notified by the Finance Ministry on a quarterly basis. Rates of Interest on Small Savings Schemes for the Third Quarter of the 2020-21 are as follows:

 

S.No	Small Savings Scheme	Interest Rate
1	Post Office Savings Account	4%
2	5-Year Post Office Recurring Deposit (RD) Account	5.80%
3	Post Office Time Deposit (TD) Account – One Year	5.50%
4	Post Office Time Deposit Account (TD) – Two Years	5.50%
5	Post Office Time Deposit Account (TD) – Three Years	5.50%
6	Post Office Time Deposit Account (TD) – Five Years	6.70%
7	Post Office Monthly Income Scheme Account (MIS)	6.60%
8	Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)	7.40%
9	15-Year Public Provident Fund Account (PPF)	7.10%
10	National Savings Certificates (NSC)	6.80%
11	Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP)	6.90%
12	Sukanya Samriddhi Account	7.60%

 

2. RBI approves appointment of CoD to run Dhanlaxmi Bank till appointment of CEO: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved a three-member interim committee of directors (CoD), to run the private sector lender, Dhanlaxmi Bank, in the capacity of the Managing Director & CEO till a new MD & CEO takes charge. This decision was taken after the shareholders voted out the bank’s MD and CEO Sunil Gurbaxani on 30 September 2020. The committee of directors (CoD) has G Subramonia Iyer as its Chairman, while G Rajagopalan Nair and P K Vijayakumar are its other two members. However, RBI has approved this interim arrangement for only four months, within which the bank will have to complete the process of identification and appointment of a new Managing Director & CEO.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 announced: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter(America), Charles M. Rice (America) and Michael Houghton (Britain) for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus. The head of the Nobel Committee, Thomas Perlmann has announced the winners in Stockholm. This year’s Nobel Prize is awarded to three scientists who have made a decisive contribution to the fight against blood-borne hepatitis, a major global health problem that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer in people around the world.

Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice made seminal discoveries that led to the identification of a novel virus, Hepatitis C virus. Prior to their work, the discovery of Hepatitis A and B viruses had been critical steps forward, but the majority of blood-borne hepatitis cases remained unexplained. The discovery of the Hepatitis C virus revealed the cause of the remaining cases of chronic hepatitis and made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives.

Note: The prestigious Nobel Prize award comes with a gold medal and prize money of 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1,118,000), courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.

 

DEFENSE

 

1. India successfully test-fires “Shaurya Missile” from Odisha coast: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired a new version of the surface-to-surface nuclear-capable ballistic missile “Shaurya” at Balasore, off the coast of Odisha. The new version of the nuclear-capable missile can strike targets at a range of around 800 km. The missile would be lighter and easier to operate in comparison with the existing missile. It is an advanced version of Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-15 (B-05). It is 10 metres long, 74 cm in diameter and weighs 6.2 tonnes. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been working towards completing total self-reliance in the field of strategic missiles and has enhanced its efforts further after the call of Aatmanirbhar Bharat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the defence sector earlier this year.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Bollywood actress Mishti Mukherjee passes away: Bollywood actress Mishti Mukherjee, who has featured in many Hindi, Bengali and Telugu films, and music videos has passed away. She was only 27 years old. Besides featuring in major Bengali projects, Mishti made her debut in Bollywood with the film Life Ki Toh lag Gayi in 2012 and worked as the lead actress in Subhash Ghai’s 2014 film “Kaanchi: The Unbreakable”.

 

2. Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah passes away: The incumbent Emir (King or Ruler) of the Kuwait Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, has passed away. He had ruled the oil-rich Gulf Arab state since 2006. Meanwhile, his brother, Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed, has been named as his successor by the cabinet. The 83-year-old Nawaf al-Ahmed took the oath of the office of 30 September 2020. 

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.