Daily GK Updates – 2nd Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Yashvardhan K. Sinha appointed as new Chief Information Commissioner: Government of India has approved the name of Former Foreign Service officer, Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha as the new Chief Information Commissioner. He was already the Information Commissioner and was also the most senior. The post of CIC chairman had been vacant for several months after Bimal Zulka retired.

Other appointments: A Marathi journalist, Uday Mahurkar has been selected for the post of Information Commissioner. Uday Mahurkar worked as a deputy editor in India Today Group and is considered close to the Sangh Parivar. Uday Mahurkar has also written a book on Prime Minister Modi titled “Merging with a Billion” and “Center Stage: Inside Narendra Modi”.

Note: Central Information Commission Founded: 12 October 2005; Central Information Commission Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

2. Microsoft & NSDC tie-up to empower 1 lakh women with digital skills: Microsoft has collaborated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to impart digital skills to more than one lakh underserved women in India over the next ten months. This initiative is an extension of Microsoft’s partnership with NSDC to provide digital skills to over 1 lakh youth in the country. The programme will curate a series of live training sessions and digital skilling drives to help create opportunities for young girls and women, particularly first-time job seekers and those whose jobs may have been impacted by Covid-19, to join the future workforce.

Under this partnership, eSkill India – NSDC’s digital skilling initiative – will support in building the outreach of this engagement through its skilling ecosystem, which includes sector skill councils, training partners, and training centres. Microsoft and NSDC will award a joint e-certificate to participants postcourse completion. Furthermore, 20,000 young women from regions with the least female labour force participation will be selected by NSDC and skilled through dedicated skills for the employability training program for employment in IT/IT-enabled job roles.

Note: Microsoft CEO: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

NSDC CEO: Manish Kumar; NSDC Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

3. Arvind Kejriwal launches ‘Green Delhi’ app to redress pollution complaints: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the ‘Green Delhi’ mobile application using which citizens can bring pollution causing activities to the Government’s notice. The Chief Minister said the Government wants to involve everyone in the fight against pollution as no big change can take place without the support of people. He said citizens can click pictures or make a video of pollution causing activities, such as burning of garbage, industrial pollution, dust etc. and upload them on the application. The application will identify the location and the complaint will be automatically forwarded to the concerned department for time-bound redressal, he said. A ‘green war room’ has been set up at the Delhi Secretariat to monitor the status of complaints. A team of 70 ‘green’ marshals will assist in their redressal, he said.

 

4. IIT Kharagpur with TCS develops novel Industry 4.0 technology: IIT Kharagpur has developed novel Industry 4.0 technology for remotely controlled factory operations and real-time quality correction during industrial production, jointly with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to set a new trend in India’s advanced manufacturing sector.

At the time of pandemic when staffing has restrictions due to the hygiene and social distancing norms, cloud infrastructure, remote and real-time operations systems hold the key to maintain effective industrial operations.  But the benefits of controlled operations have a bigger impact especially in the context of Atma Nirbhar Bharat in delivering quality output at low costs. The present innovation upgraded the industrial process of friction stir welding to a multi-sensory system of Industry 4.0.  It has not only set the course for remotely controlled operations in the Indian industrial sector but has also enabled real-time quality check and correction during the production process.  This will make possible for industrial houses to achieve standardized quality goals throughout the production process and reduce rejection hence lowering the cost of production.

 

5. UP govt secures first rank in disbursing loans under PM Swanidhi Scheme: Uttar Pradesh government has secured the first rank in central government’s one of the most ambitious schemes – the PM Atmanirbhar Nidhi Scheme (SVANidhi Scheme) by approving the highest number of loans under the scheme in the country. State has ranked first in all the categories – Applications, Sanctions and Disbursements of the loans under the scheme.  As many as 6,22,167 applications were received under the scheme in the state which is highest in the country, out of which sanctions were given to 3,46,150 applicants while the loans were disbursed to 2,26,728 beneficiaries.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Sudan became 3rd Arab Nation to normalise relations with Israel: Israel and Sudan agreed to normalize relations in a deal brokered with the help of the United States, making Sudan the third Arab country to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past two months. U.S. President Donald Trump's aides have been pressing Sudan to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel, following similar U.S.-brokered moves in recent weeks by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. The new agreement between Sudan and Israel will establish economic and trade links, with an initial focus on agriculture

Trump has told the U.S. Congress he will rescind Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House said after Sudan transferred $335 million into an account for victims and their families. Last month, Sudanese officials discussed its removal from the U.S. terrorism list in the UAE in return for the recognition of Israel, reports stated.

Note: Sudan Capital: Khartoum; Prime Minister: Abdalla Hamdok; Currency: Sudanese pound

 

2. Air-connectivity between Bangladesh & India resumes: The air-connectivity between Bangladesh and India resumed with two flights leaving Dhaka under the air-bubble arrangement between the two countries. The service was inaugurated at the Hazrat Shahjalal airport in Dhaka by the High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami and the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal Mafidur Rahman.

Under the air-bubble arrangement three Bangladeshi airlines- Biman Bangladesh, US-Bangla Airlines and Novo Air will initially operate 28 flights a week to India. Five Indian carriers including Air India, Vistara, Indigo, Spicejet and GoAIr will also run 28 flights a week between the two countries. The flights between two countries have resumed after nearly eight months. The travel between India and Bangladesh was disrupted due to the outbreak of Corona pandemic.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Bangladeshi taka; President: Abdul Hamid; Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina

 

3. China may not recognise British-issued Hong Kong passports: China’s foreign ministry said that it may decide not to recognise British-issued passports for Hong Kong residents in retaliation for London’s moves to open a path to citizenship for those holding the documents. Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Britain had violated its promises and played up the issue of the British National (Overseas) passports.

Hong Kong reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997 and the sides have increasingly feuded over civil rights in the territory. Britain accuses China of failing to live up to its pledges to maintain freedoms in the special administrative region, while Beijing says London is interfering in its internal affairs. Differences have sharpened since China in June imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong in response to months of anti-government protests last year. London suspended its extradition treaty with the territory and has offered political asylum to persons targeted under the new legislation.

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Punjab National Bank Launches TMSAC portal and 2020 Vigilance Manual: As a part of the Vigilance Awareness Week (VAW), the nation’s leading public sector bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB), launched the PNB Tracking & Monitoring Staff Accountability Cases (TMSAC) portal and PNB’s 2020 Vigilance Manual. The user-friendly TMSAC portal tracks and monitor the complaints/NPA reference at various stages on a real-time basis. The portal will help the Bank identify the internal fraud in advance, take instant action, and improve the internal processes. The Vigilance Manual helps to have a better understanding of the vigilance functions and the guidelines.

 

2. ICICI Lombard and FreePaycard partner to Offer Bite-sized, convenient health insurance solutions: ICICI Lombard in partnership with Freepaycard, an online pre-paid card trading platform, has launched Group Safeguard Insurance to receive an assured amount in case of any injury or hospitalization for treatment. The plan will be offered a customized hospitalization product that comes in three variants – Hospital Daily Cash Benefit, Death Benefit, and Special Vector-borne Disease-related Hospitalization Benefit. The Hospital Daily Cash Benefit will let customers avail sum insured up to Rs 60,000 for a maximum period of 30 days. This option can be availed at Rs 699 for a 1-year tenure.

The second cover, Death Benefit or the Personal Accident Cover for 1-year at Rs 699 for a sum insured of Rs 10 lakhs in case of accidental death of the insured or permanent total disablement, and Rs 90,000 for parental care in case of the insured’s accidental death or permanent total disablement.

The Special Vector-borne Disease-related Hospitalization cover comes at Rs 379 for a year for a sum insured of Rs 75,000, which is paid on hospitalization due to any of the covered vector-borne disease or malaria. These include dengue, chikungunya, kala-azar, Japanese encephalitis, and filariasis. However, a minimum of 48 hours of hospitalization is required for the insured to be eligible for the claim.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Indian organisation wins UN award for efforts to combat climate change amid Covid pandemic: An Indian organisation that leverages tourism and technology to help remote communities access solar energy has won a prestigious UN award for its efforts to combat climate change amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) is among the winners of the 2020 UN Global Climate Action Award. GHE is one of the world’s first organisations using tourism and technology to bring solar energy to remote communities. The UN Global Climate Action Awards are spearheaded by the Momentum for Change initiative at UN Climate Change. The projects are recognised as innovative solutions that not only address climate change but also help drive progress on many other sustainable development goals.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Army launches indigenous mobile application SAI: The Indian Army has launched a secured messaging application platform named ‘Secure Application for the Internet’ (SAI). This mobile application for Android will support end-to-end secure voice, text and video calling services. This application is similar to applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.

According to the Ministry of Defence: SAI has been vetted by CERT-in empanelled auditor and Army Cyber Group. It also informed that the process for filing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) hosting the infrastructure on NIC and working on iOS platform is currently in progress. Ministry of Defence also informed that SAI will be used by pan Army to ensure securing messaging. Upon reviewing the functionalities of the application, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised Col Sai Shankar for his skill and ingenuity for developing the application.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Trinamool Congress MLA from Jhargram Sukumar Hansda passes away: Trinamool Congress MLA from Jhargram, Sukumar Hansda, passed away at a Kolkata hospital. He was 65. The two-time Trinamool Congress MLA from Jhargram, Hansda was a minister in the first-term of the Mamata Banerjee government in which he held the portfolio of Paschimanchal Unnayan Minister. Hansda was also the Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. 

Daily GK Updates – 1st Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates ‘Arogya Van’ in Gujarat’s Narmada district: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Arogya Van’ in the Narmada district of Gujarat, during his two-day visit to the state on 30 and 31 October 2020. PM also inaugurated Arogya Kutir, Ekta Mall, and Children Nutrition Park. During the two day visit, Modiji is scheduled to inaugurate about 17 different projects and lay the foundation stone for four projects at the Statue of Unity Complex near Kevadia.

Arogya Van: Arogya Van is set up on 17 acres of land in Kevadia for spreading awareness on Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation. It features around 380 species of plants and trees with rich medicinal values. The ‘Aarogya Van’ comprises a lotus pond, alba garden, aroma garden, yoga and meditation garden, indoor plant section, digital information centre, souvenir shop and a cafeteria serving ayurveda foods, among other things.

Arogya Kutir: Arogya Kutir has a traditional treatment facility named Santhigiri wellness centre which will provide healthcare based on Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga and Panchakarma.

Ekta Mall: The Mall displays a diverse range of handicrafts and traditional items from all over India symbolizing unity in diversity and is spread over 35000 sq ft.

Children Nutrition Park & Mirror Maze: Spread over an area of 35000 sq ft, it is the world’s first ever technology driven nutrition park for children. A Nutri Train runs across the park to various exciting theme based stations namely ‘Phalshaka Griham’, ‘Payonagari’, ‘Annapoorna’, ‘Poshan Puran’, and ‘Swastha Bharatam’. The park will raise nutritional awareness through various edutainment activities like Mirror Maze, 5D Virtual reality theatre and Augmented reality games.

 

2. NITI Aayog Releases ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report: The ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report was launched. The report has jointly been prepared by the NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation and Smart Power India. It basically highlights the benefits of government-led schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana.

Objective of the report: Evaluate the status of electricity access in India across these states and distribution utilities along all dimensions that constitute meaningful access. Benchmark utilities’ capacity to provide electricity access and identify the drivers of sustainable access. Develop recommendations for enhancing sustainable electricity access.  Key findings of the report:

(1) Around 92% of customers said that the overall availability of electricity infrastructure was within 50 metres of their premises.

(2) Overall, 87% of the surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity, while remaining 13% either use non-grid sources or don’t use any electricity at all.

(3) The hours of supply have improved significantly to nearly 17 hours per day.

(4) Nearly 85% of customers reported to have a metered electricity connection.

(4) Access to electricity is observed in 83% of household customers.

(5) A satisfaction index was created to assess the overall satisfaction level of customers with utility services. The study suggested that a total of 66% of those surveyed were satisfied, of which 74% of customers are in urban areas and 60% in rural areas.

Key recommendations provided in the report for improving the power distribution sector:

(1) Government needs to invest in electricity distribution infrastructure with focus on improving reliability and quality of supply.

(2) Revamping the new electricity connection process with focus on non-household customers.

(3) Transfer of subsidies or other benefits directly into a customer’s account;

(4) Enhanced technology-driven customer service;

(5) Ensuring 100% metering of customers;

 

3. Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao launches ‘Dharani’ Portal for land & property registrations: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao launched the web portal ‘Dharani’ for land and property registrations. The Dharani is a one-stop portal for all land and property related transactions as well as documentation. The state government will now undertake all the property transactions, including registrations and mutations, through web portal. The portal will do away with any loopholes in the registration process as well as store all land and property-related information online. It will simplify the registration, succession and even partition of agriculture lands, to ensure that the entire process is completed within a few minutes and the e-pattadar passbook is provided to the land owners immediately.

 

4. Sarbananda Sonowal lays foundation stone for Assam Agar International Trade Centre: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of Assam Agar International Trade Centre, which is the first of its kind in the country at Dabidubi in Golaghat district. The state government decided to set up the trade centre to promote the business potential of the farmers as well as the entrepreneurs associated with agarwood plantation and trade in Assam. Reiterating the government’s commitment to double the farmer’s income  by 2022, Mr. Sonowal said establishment of Agar International Trade Centre is one of the initiatives, which the state government promised when it came to power in 2016.

 

5. Plastic Premier League tournament to be played in Indore: A unique Plastic Premier League (PPL) tournament is being played in Indore, Madhya Pradesh to free the city from single-use plastic. Indore is known for its innovative efforts regarding cleanliness. Indore has been awarded as the cleanest city in the country four times so far.

About the tournament: Four teams have been formed for the Plastic Premier League competition. The 19 zones of Indore Municipal Corporation are divided into these four teams. For the competition, the team captain Radio Jockey will encourage citizens to donate more and more plastic from their radio station. These teams have been provided by municipal workers and five vehicles to collect plastic. The team that collects the most single-use plastics in this 45-day competition will be awarded the PPL Trophy.

Note: Madhya Pradesh Capital: Bhopal; Madhya Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel(additional charge); Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. First-of-its-kind Flash Flood Warning System for South Asian Countries Launched: A first-of-its-kind system for South Asian countries that will provide alerts for flash floods 6-24 hours in advance was launched at the India Meteorological Department (IMD). India also shares cyclone warning alerts with neighbouring countries. The system will enable the member countries – India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan-issue impact-based forecasting of floods which are very sudden and of short duration at watershed and also city level. The system has been developed by the WMO Commission for Hydrology, jointly with the WMO Commission for Basic Systems and in collaboration with the US National Weather Service, the US Hydrologic Research Centre (HRC).

 

2. NASA’s SOFIA discovers water on Sunlit Surface of Moon: Two new studies published in Nature Astronomy suggest there could be much more water than previously thought, including ice stored in permanently shadowed “cold traps” at lunar polar regions. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Airborne Telescope, researchers scanned the lunar surface at a more precise wavelength than had been used before — six microns instead of three. This allowed them to distinguish the spectral fingerprint of molecular water. Previous research has found indications of water by scanning the surface, but these were unable to distinguish between water (H2O) and hydroxyl, a molecule made up of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom. But a new study provides further chemical proof that the Moon holds molecular water, even in sunlit areas.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Honda achieves 800th FIM World Championship Grand Prix victory: Honda Moto3 rider Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing NSF250RW) claimed victory in the Moto3 class in round 12 of the 2020 FIM World Championship Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon in Spain. Beginning with its first world grand prix race in 1961, in the 125cc class of the Spanish Grand Prix, Honda has now achieved 800 grand prix.

 

2. Tanmay Srivastava announces retirement: Mumbai Batsman Tanmay Srivastava, who was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup winning team in 2008, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.  The 30-year-old left-hander, played 90 first-class matches and scored 4,918 runs, with 10 centuries and 27 fifties to his name. He represented Uttar Pradesh and later captained Uttarakhand in domestic cricket. In the IPL, he turned up for Kings XI Punjab and the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. BharatPe launches digital gold on its platform: A leading merchant payment network, BharatPe has announced the launch of digital gold on its platform. The launch of this new category of fintech product is in line with the company’s commitment to offering the entire gamut of financial products to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Through this latest offering: BharatPe’s merchants will be able to buy and sell 99.5 per cent pure 24-carat gold. Merchants can choose to buy in rupees or grams, any time of the day and from anywhere, by using the BharatPe app. To facilitate this, BharatPe has also partnered with Safegold, a digital platform that allows customers to buy, sell and receive vaulted gold. SafeGold has appointed IDBI Trusteeship Services to protect the interest of merchants with regard to their gold purchases.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of BharatPe: Ashneer Grover; BharatPe Founded: 2018.

 

2. CSB Bank partners with IIFL Finance for gold loan origination: Private-sector lender CSB Bank, formerly Catholic Syrian Bank, said that it has entered into a partnership with non-banking finance company, IIFL Finance (IIFL) for sourcing and managing retail gold loan assets. IIFL Finance, acting as business correspondent of CSB Bank, will source new business from markets where CSB Bank does not have adequate branch network. IIFL Finance, with its branch network, would help CSB Bank penetrate the lower strata of customers and rural areas, where the bank currently does not have adequate reach.

 

3. SVC Bank partners with NPCI to launch a digital rewards platform: SVC Bank (SVC Co-operative Bank Ltd.), one of the leading Co-operative Banks in the country, announced the launch of SVC Rewards Program. The Program is designed to make banking experience more rewarding for its customers in the form of Reward points earned upon use of SVC Bank Cards and digital solutions. To make the experience seamless, the Bank has tied up with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Acko partners with Finserv MARKETS to offer car and bike insurance: General insurance provider Acko has partnered with Finserv MARKETS, a fintech aggregator to offer two and four-wheeler insurance policies. Customers can now buy Acko insurance for their car or bike on the Finserv MARKETS platform by providing basic details. Acko offers value added services like three-day assured claim servicing and one-year repair warranty – in select cities.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Anzar Mustaeen Ali wins special prize in Global Art Competition: A six-year-old Bangladeshi boy, Anzar Mustaeen Ali won a special prize of USD 1000 for his artwork in the global art competition organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). The ICCR had launched a global painting competition named ‘United Against CORONA- Express through Art’ which attracted 8000 artwork entries from around the world. After the first round of competition 210 artworks were shortlisted.

The final jury evaluated and decided the winners from each category such as Indian and Foreign, Professional/Amateur/Children in four different sections: Contemporary Art; Folk and Tribal Art; Cartoons and Illustrations; Digital and New Age Art.

Note: ICCR President: Vinay Sahasrabuddhe; ICCR Headquarters: New Delhi; ICCR Director General: Shri Dinesh. K. Patnaik

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Award-winning author and editor Daniel Menaker passes away: Daniel Menaker, an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction and a longtime editor at The New Yorker and Random House who worked with Alice Munro, Salman Rushdie, Colum McCann and many others, passed away. Daniel Menaker was the author of several books, including the memoir My Mistake and the comic psychological novel The Treatment, adapted into a 2007 movie starring Chris Eigeman and Ian Holm. He was also known for the O Henry Award-winning title story of his collection The Old Left.

Daily GK Updates – 31th Oct, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala becomes the first state to fix floor price for vegetables: Kerala becomes the first state in the country to fix the floor price for vegetables. The floor price will be 20 per cent above the production cost of the vegetable. Even if the market price goes below the floor price, the product will be procured at the floor price from the farmers. This is the first time in the country that the floor price is being fixed for vegetables produced in the state. Benefits of the scheme:

(1) This is going to provide relief as well as support for the farmers.

(2) The produce will be graded and the floor price will be fixed based on the quality.

(3) Sixteen varieties of vegetables would be covered in the first phase and there is a provision to revise the floor price on a regular basis.

(4) Farmers can register on the agriculture department’s registration portal after insuring the crop to get the benefit of the floor price.

(5) The scheme also envisages setting up the entire supply chain process like cold storage facilities and refrigerated vehicles for transporting the produce.

Note: Chief Minister of Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan; Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

2. Young Advocates Welfare Fund launched in Tamil Nadu: The Young Advocates Welfare Fund has been launched in Tamil Nadu. The Young Advocates Welfare Scheme is aimed at helping such fresh candidates to withstand the initial challenges. It provides monthly financial assistance of three thousand rupees each for two years to the lawyers who just come out of law colleges. Normally a fresher from law colleges takes three to four years to begin practice as an advocate in the court as the registration in the Bar Council, and the mandatory practicing under a senior advocate takes time. Unable to sustain themselves during the initial period, many from poor and rural backgrounds shifted their profession.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Tamil Nadu Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

 

3. Odisha CM launches ‘Sumangal’ & Student Scholarship web portals: Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has launched two web portals named ‘Odisha State Scholarship Portal’ and ‘Sumangal Portal’. The former portal is to help eligible students of the state to avail scholarship benefits in a seamless and transparent manner, while the latter one is to help people avail inter-caste marriage incentives.

Benefits of Both web portals: According to a government release, 21 scholarships would be offered by eight state departments and more than 11 lakh beneficiary students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and educationally backward classes would benefit from the scholarship portal. Through the State Scholarship Portal, scholarships will be credited directly to students’ bank accounts as the portal is linked to the state treasury. Moreover, professional programs of the SC and ST Department, Higher Education, Schools and Mass Education, Labor and ESI, Skills Development and Technical Education, and Agriculture Department will be administered on the portal.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

 

4. A book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits” authored by Sarbpreet Singh: A book titled “Night of the Restless Spirits: Stories from 1984″ authored by Sarbpreet Singh. The author Sarbpreet Singh’s recounts the Sikh massacre of 1984 in this book. The book is a fictionalised version of real happenings comprising just eight chapters. It shows the events of 1984 through the prism of many lives & impact on Sikhs. The book is published by Penguin Publication.

 

5. National Unity Day: 31st October: In India, the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day is observed every year on October 31 since 2014, to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This year marks the 145th anniversary of the great leader who played an instrumental role in India’s struggle for independence, and later during the integration of the country.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: He was born on 31st October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat. He was the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of independent India. He played an important role in the integration of many Indian princely states to make an Indian federation. At the time of independence, he played a key role in convincing several princely states to align with the Indian Union. He also worked hard as a social leader for the independence of India.

Women of Bardoli bestowed the title ‘Sardar’ on Vallabhbhai Patel, which means ‘a Chief or a Leader’. He is recognized as the real unifier of India for his colossal contribution to integrate and make India a united (Ek Bharat) and an independent nation. He requested the people of India to live together by uniting in order to create Shresth Bharat (Foremost India). He is also remembered as the ‘Patron saint of India’s civil servants’ as he established the modern all-India services system. The Statue of Unity at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat was built in his honour.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NATO plans to set up new space center in Germany: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, plans to build a headquarters for space operations at its airbase in Ramstein in Germany, to counter a rising Russian and Chinese threat. The new centre is to be a central point of contact to support NATO missions with communication and satellite images. It will also be a place to exchange information on potential threats to satellites. Some 2,000 satellites orbit the Earth, more than half of which are operated by NATO members, allowing everything from mobile phone services to weather forecasts. Currently, at least 40 per cent of NATO’s communications are via satellite.

Note: NATO Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; NATO Chairman of the NATO Military Committee: Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach; Member countries of NATO: 30; Founded:  4 April 1949.

 

2. Japan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050: Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga has stated that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Prime Minister stated he intends to make a sustainable economy a pillar of his growth strategy and put maximum effort into achieving a green society. Suga emphasized the need to shift away from fossil fuels to counter climate change as an opportunity rather than a burden. As per Japan’s current energy plan, 56 per cent of its energy requirements come from fossil fuels.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Japan Currency: Japanese yen; Japan Prime minister: Yoshihide Suga.

 

3. ISRO-NASA Satellite NISAR Scheduled to Be Launched by 2022: According to a joint statement issued after a strategic dialogue between India and the US, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite is expected to be launched by 2022 as India and the U.S. have decided to share Space Situational Awareness Information, which will catalyse efforts to create the conditions for a safe and sustainable space environment. The two sides also expressed the intent to continue the India-U.S. Space Dialogue as well as discussions on areas of potential space defense cooperation.

 

4. World Cities Day: 31st October: The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day. The Day is celebrated to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. 2020 Theme: Valuing Our Communities and Cities.

History of World Cities Day:  Urban October was launched by UN-Habitat in 2014 to emphasize the world’s urban challenges and engage the international community towards the New Urban Agenda. World Cities Day 2020 is the seventh global celebration since the day was launched on 31 October 2014 in Shanghai, China.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Indian Chess Player Leon Mendonca Wins Tournament in Hungary: Young Indian International Master Leon Luke Mendonca earned his maiden Grandmaster norm after winning the title in Rigochess International Festival tournament in Hungary. The 14-year old Mendonca won six games, drew two and lost one to emerge winner in the 10-player field which included three GMs and was played over the board. He secured seven points from nine rounds in the tournament.

 

2. Sabalenka beats sick Azarenka to win Ostrava Open: Third seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus won the Ostrava Open WTA tournament after beating her visibly struggling compatriot Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. It was Sabalenka’s second title this year after a win at the Qatar Open in February, before the coronavirus pandemic broke out.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI signs $1 billion loan agreement with JBIC: State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a loan agreement of up to $1 billion with The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The loan will facilitate the operations of Japanese car companies in India. The financing will assist in Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. While $600 million will be financed by JBIC, the rest will come from other participating lenders which include the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, MUFG Bank, , Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank and Bank of Yokohama. JBIC will provide a guarantee for the portion co-financed by the participating banks. The loan is intended to promote the smooth flow of funds for the whole range of business operations of Japanese automobile manufacturers in India.

About SBI: The bank has the largest network of over 22,100 branches in India with an ATM/CDM network of over 58,500 and total BC outlets of more than 62,200. The number of customers using internet banking facilities is about 76 million and mobile banking services stand a little more than 17 million.

About JBIC: JBIC is a policy-based financial institution, wholly owned by the Japanese government, with the objective of contributing to the sound development of Japan, the international economy and society.

Note: Chairman of State Bank of India: Dinesh Kumar Khara; SBI Founded: 1 July 1955; SBI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Japan Bank for International Cooperation Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President & CEO of Japan Bank for International Cooperation: Tadashi Maeda; Japan Bank for International Cooperation Founded: 1 October 1999

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India Post, US Postal Service sign pact for electronic exchange of customs: Indian Posts & US Postal Service entered into an agreement for the electronic exchange of customs data related to postal shipments. It will enable to transmit & receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival. About the agreement:

(1) The agreement will make it possible to transmit and receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival at the destination and would enable customs clearance of postal items in advance in line with the evolving global postal framework.

(2) This will also improve the performance of postal services in terms of reliability, visibility and security.

(3) Exchange of Electronic Advance Data as per the Agreement will be a key driver towards promoting mutual trade with emphasis on the exports from different parts of India to the USA through the postal channel.

(4) USA is a major destination of MSME products, Gems and Jewellery, Pharmaceuticals and other local products from India. This will fulfil a major demand of export industry to expedite customs clearances of export items.

Note: Indian Post Headquarters: New Delhi; Director-General of Indian Post: Arundhaty Ghosh.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr Satish Mishra bags “Dr Tulsi Das Chugh Award-2020: The National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) has selected the Principal Scientist, Division of Molecular Parasitology and Immunology, (CSIR-CDRI)-Lucknow, Dr Satish Mishra for “Dr.Tulsi Das Chugh Award 2020”. He is awarded for his research work on Malaria parasite’s life cycle which is a complex process involving two hosts and three invasive stages.

Research work: Invasion in both mammals and mosquitoes requires a coordinated sequence of events to be played out successfully. His outstanding work focused on “Secreted Protein with Altered Thrombospondin Repeat (SPATR) which is Essential for Asexual Blood Stages but not Required for Hepatocyte Invasion by the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Berghei”. This study focuses on the dispensability of SPATR in P. berghei sporozoites and its importance for the establishment of blood-stage infection, further investigation is needed to unravel its precise role during this process.

Dr Satish Mishra has also awarded with: Elected, a member in 2019, National Academy of Medical Sciences, India. Elected, a member in 2018, The National Academy of Sciences, India. Shakuntala Amir Chand Prize in 2018 by Indian Council of Medical Research, Government of India. Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship in 2013 by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

Daily GK Updates – 30th Oct, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Arjun Munda launches two Centers of Excellence for tribal welfare: The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda has launched two Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Tribal Welfare in a collaboration between Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Art of Living (AoL) through video conference.

The first Centers of Excellence: The first CoE has been launched in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra for training about 10000 tribal farmers in the field of sustainable natural farming based on Go-Adharith farming techniques. Farmers will be helped in getting the Organic certification and marketing opportunities to make each of them Atmanirbhar Tribal Farmers.

The second Centers of Excellence: The second CoE has been launched in Jharkhand in the field of ‘Strengthening PRIs’ in 5 districts of the state covering 30 Gram Panchayats and 150 villages. This initiative aims to create the youth volunteers among the tribal youths by giving them personality development training, instilling the sense of social responsibility among them and thereby creating the tribal leaders who will work for their community in spreading this awareness.

Note: The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organization in Bengaluru founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

 

2. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates ‘Direct Port Entry Facility’: The Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C), Mansukh Mandaviya has inaugurated the ‘Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility’ of V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust in Tamil Nadu. This will help in increasing Ease of Doing Business for the exporters, as the facility will bring efficiency and reduce dwell time, lower tariff cost and improve the competitiveness of shipper in the international trade.

About ‘Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility’: The state-of-the-art Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility would enable direct movement of containers from factories, without intermediate handling at any Container Freight Station (CFS), thus facilitating the shippers to Gate-In their factory stuffed exports directly to the Container Terminal on 24×7 basis. The facility is created in an area of 18,357 sqm inside the Truck Parking Terminal which was developed under the ‘Sagarmala’ for issuing customs clearance of export cargo i.e. Factory stuffed/re-sealed containers.

 

3. UP Govt to establish anti-human trafficking Police Stations: Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to establish anti-human trafficking Police Stations in each and every district in a major step towards the security of women and children. These Police Stations will be given enough powers to register the case and investigate the matter independently.

The state government is going to establish 40 new anti-trafficking units which will work like police stations in districts and will conduct the investigation after registering the cases. Earlier, only 35 districts in the state had Police stations of anti-human trafficking unit which was established in 2011 and 2018. The new Police stations are being established after directives from women safety division of union Government. Union Government has also allocated funds for these units.

Note: Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel; Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow; Uttar Pradesh Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

4. GoI sets up committee to commemorate 400th anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur: The Centre has set up a high-level committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla will be the member secretary of the 70-member high-level committee.

About the committee: The committee will look into the approval of policies, plans, programmes and supervision and guiding the commemoration, as well as for deciding dates for detailed programmes of celebration. Some of the other members of the committee include former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Hardeep Singh Puri, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Chief ministers of Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.

 

5. Vice President launches virtual festival of ‘Parampara Series 2020: Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu has launched the virtual festival of “Parampara Series 2020-National Festival of Music and Dance” organised by Natya Tarangini in partnership with the United Nations India and UNESCO India. Natya Tarangini has been organising this for the past 23 years. This dance and music festival as the normal life has been disrupted by lockdowns, economic downturns and lack of social interaction caused by the pandemic. It may be noted that this festival has been organized to coincide with the World Day for Audio-visual Heritage.

Note: UN HQ: New York, USA; UN Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Luis Arce declared as Bolivia’s president-elect: Luis Arce has been chosen as the President-elect of Bolivia, after winning a landslide victory in the 2020 Bolivian general election. He captured 55.1% of the total votes. Arce will take the charge of the office on 8 November 2020. He would succeed Jeanine Anez, who is serving as the interim President of Bolivia. The 57-year-old, Luis is a member of the political party Movement Toward Socialism. Previously, Arce served as Minister of Economy and Public Finance from 2006 to 2017 and in 2019 under the President Evo Morales.

Note: Bolivia Capitals: La Paz, Sucre; Bolivia Currency: Boliviano; Bolivia Continent: South America.

 

2. Alpha Condé won the 3rd Term as President of Guinea: Alpha Condé, the incumbent president of Guinea and leader of Rally of the Guinean People (Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen – RPG) party won the 3rd the term as the President of Guinea by winning the 2020 presidential elections. He won the election against Cellou Dalein Diallo with 59.49 % votes. Diallo got 33.5% votes in the election. Winning the 2020 elections, Alpha Condé is set to govern the country for the next 6 years.

Note: Guinea Prime Minister: Ibrahima Kassory Fofana; Guinea Capital: Conakry; Guinea Currency: Guinean Franc.

 

3. 3rd India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue begins in New Delhi: India is hosting the third India-US two plus two Ministerial Dialogue at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar are leading the Indian delegation. The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark Esper are leading the US delegation. The First two plus two dialogue was held in New Delhi in September 2018 and the Second in Washington DC in 2019. Besides, covering all bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest during the third dialogue, the two sides also signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) to further expand the geospatial cooperation between them and improve the accuracy of missile systems of India.

 

4. Om Birla participates in 6th BRICS Parliamentary Forum virtually: The 6th BRICS Parliamentary Forum has been organised virtually under the chairmanship of Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of Russian Parliament. The Indian Parliamentary Delegation is being led by Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla and also consists of Member of Lok Sabha Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. The forum provides an effective platform to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue and Parliamentary Diplomacy among the Parliaments of BRICS countries with a view to strengthening the role of Parliaments on a range of contemporary global issues.

Speakers and members of five BRICS Parliaments namely Brazil, Russian, India, China and South Africa are attending the Forum. The theme of the Forum is ‘BRICS partnership in the interest of global stability, general safety and innovative growth: Parliamentary dimension’.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Under-19 World Cup-winner Tanmay Srivastava retires from cricket: Tanmay Manoj Srivastava, who was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning team in 2008, announced his retirement from all forms of domestic cricket. He played 90 first-class games, scoring 4918 runs. He also played 44 List A matches and 34 T20s. He also played IPL (Indian Premier League), where he represented Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Sashidhar Jagdishan took charges as MD & CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of HDFC Bank with effect from 27 October 2020. He started his career in HDFC Bank in 1996 as a manager in the finance function, became business head-finance in 1999 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2008. He will succeed Aditya Puri (70 year), who has stepped down after 25 years of his career as MD-CEO of HDFC Bank.

 

2. DMRC & SBI card launch multi-purpose smart card: The SBI Card in association with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation launched a contactless multi-purpose card that can function as a credit card and as a metro smart card. The credit card Delhi Metro SBI Card is designed for regular commuters on Delhi Metro.

The facility of the Multi-purpose credit card: It will enable its users to use it as a smart card with an auto-top up facility whenever the balance is below Rs 100. The credit card facility will automatically recharge a top-up value of Rs 200 from the user’s linked card/bank account. The card offers an enhanced daily commute experience to millions of metro commuters together with a rewarding experience on their daily purchases. The DMRC has identified 100 stations to put up kiosks from where commuters can purchase the card.

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

 

3. Government Extends ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme Deadline till 31 March 2021: The government has further extended the deadline for making payment under the direct tax dispute settlement scheme ‘Vivad Se Vishwas’ by three months till March 31, 2021, in order to provide further relief to the taxpayers. This is the third time that the deadline is being extended by the Ministry of Finance. The deadline was extended for the first time till June 30, 2020 and then again till December 31, 2020. As per the latest notification, the taxpayers can now settle their tax disputes without additional amount till March 31, 2021. The last date for making declaration under the Scheme has also been extended till December 31, 2020.

What is Vivad Se Vishwas scheme? The ‘Vivad Se Vishwas’ scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2020, as per which a taxpayer would be required to pay only the amount of the disputed taxes and will get complete waiver of interest and penalty provided he pays by 31st March, 2020. Those who avail this scheme after 31st March, 2020 will have to pay 10% additional penalty and interest amount. The scheme will remain open till 30th June, 2020.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 14th Asian Film Awards 2020 announced: The 14th edition of Asian Film Awards was organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy. Indian Movie Gully Boy has received the award for the Best Original Score at 14th Asian Film Awards. The award went to Karsh Kale and The Salvage Audio Collective. Gully Boy has been directed by Zoya Akhtar. In Gully Boy, Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt played leading roles. 14th Asian Film Awards Winners List:

 

Award	Name Winner
Best Actor	Lee Byung-hun – The Man Standing Next (South Korea)
Best Actress	Zhou Dongyu – Better Days (China)
Best Cinematography	Dong Jinsong – The Wild Goose Lake
Best Costume Designer	Pacharin Surawatanapongs– Happy Old Year
Best Director	Wang Xiaoshuai for So Long, My Son (China)
Best Editing	Yang Jin-mo – Parasite
Best Film	Parasite (South Korea)
Best Newcomer	Jackson Yee – Better Days
Best New Director	Hikari – 37 Seconds
Best Supporting Actor	Ryo Kase – To the Ends of the Earth
Best Supporting Actress	Ko Shu-chin – A Sun
Best Screenplay	Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won – Parasite
Best Original Music	Karsh Kale, The Salvage Audio Collective – Gully Boy
Best Production Design	Ha-jun Lee – Parasite
Best Visual Effects	Tomi Kijo, Renovatio Pictures – Detention
Best Sound	Yoshifumi Kureishi – Listen to the Universe

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel passes away: Keshubhai Savdasbhai Patel, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, has passed away following sudden cardiac arrest. He was 92. Keshubhai Patel had served as the Chief Minister of the state for a few months in 1995 and then from March 1998 to October of 2001. He was a six-time member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and was a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) till 2012.