Daily GK Updates – 16th Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. MP govt launches ‘Roadmap to Aatma Nirbhar Madhya Pradesh’: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a roadmap to “Aatma Nirbhar Madhya Pradesh 2023” through a virtual event. Under the roadmap, a special focus will be on health and education in the state.

About Aatma Nirbhar Madhya Pradesh 2023: Four seminars were conducted on physical infrastructure, good governance, health and education to prepare the roadmap of the state. On the basis of the inputs received by the experts in the seminar, the roadmap of Aatma Nirbhar Madhya Pradesh has been prepared. Economy and employment will also be major focus areas and small and cottage industries will be motivated. A network of hospitals will be established in the state focusing on the health sector.

Along with launching the roadmap to Aatma Nirbhar Madhya Pradesh, the chief minister also transferred the interest-free loan of 10 thousand rupees each into the accounts of rural street vendors under the Mukhya Mantri rural Street Vendor Loan Scheme. The scheme was launched by the state government to provide a loan up to Rs 10,000 to street vendors in rural areas. Under the scheme, the state government will bear 14% interest subsidy per loan beneficiary (for loans up to Rs 10,000).

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

2. Haryana CM Launches ‘Project Air Care’ in Gurgaon: Haryana Chief Minister (CM), Manohar Lal Khattar has virtually unveiled ‘Project Air Care’ to combat rising Air Pollution in Gurgaon. 65 Wing Augmentation Air Purifying Units (WAYU) would be set up at areas with high Air Quality Indices (AQI) in Gurgaon to improve the air quality. The Air Purifiers have been developed by CSIR-NEERI (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Bombay. The project is a result of a public-private partnership between Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) Consumer Healthcare.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya; Haryana Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. Karnataka’s Mysuru to Get India’s First Sandalwood Museum: India’s first Sandalwood Museum is being established in Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram, Mysuru, Karnataka. The museum is set up by the Regional Forest Department to educate farmers about the significance of cultivation of sandalwood. This will also provide technical support, information on the availability of saplings, marketing facilities, pest control measures, incentives and schemes provided for sandalwood growers by the government.

Note: Chief Minister of Karnataka: B.S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

 

4. Maharashtra Governor releases a book ‘Majhi Bhint’: Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has released the book ‘Majhi Bhint’ (My Wall) authored by former Maharashtra Minister of Education Rajendra Darda at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. The book is a compilation of selected Facebook posts of Rajendra Darda pertaining to a range of issues written over the last four years. Maharashtra’s Minister for Revenue Balasaheb Thorat, Minister of Public Works Ashok Chavan, Minister of Water Resources Jayant Patil, Chairman of Lokmat Media Group Vijay Darda, Rajendra Darda and invitees were present on the occasion.

 

5. Sonu Sood’s autobiography to be titled ‘I Am No Messiah’: An actor, producer and humanitarian, Sonu Sood is set to pen his autobiography titled “I Am No Messiah”. The book will be co-authored by Meena Iyer. The book will account the experience of Sonu Sood during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is set to be published by Penguin Random House India and released in December 2020.

About the book: The book will feature the stories he heard and his interactions with the migrants and others. Sonu Sood will share the experiences which impacted his life and changed his outlook and his purpose of life. Sonu Sood narrates his emotional experiences and the challenges he faced along with the people he rescued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

6. National Press Day: 16th November: National Press Day is observed on 16th November every year to celebrate free and responsible press in India. On this day the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high standards and is not constrained by any influence or threats. It also commemorates the day when the Press Council of India started functioning. In 1956, the First Press Commission was planned to form a Press Council to protect freedom of the press in India. On 4 July 1966, the Press Council was established in India. It came into effect from 16 November 1966. Therefore, 16 November is celebrated as National Press Day every year.

About Press Council of India: The Press Council of India was formed in 1966 under the Press Council Act of 1978. It exercises authority even over the instruments of the state in its duty to safeguard the independence of the press. It ensures that the Indian press is not affected by any external matter.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US President-elect Joe Biden announces 12 member task force to deal with COVID-19; Indian-origin former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to co-chair group: US President-elect Joe Biden has formed a 12-member coronavirus task force to formulate a blueprint for containing the coronavirus disease that has infected millions and damaged the US economy. The task force will be headed by three co-chairs, which includes, former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler and Marcella Nunez-Smith, a professor of public health at Yale University.

About Vivek Murthy: Vivek Murthy is an Indian-American physician, whose family hails from Karnataka. The 43-year old received his Bachelor’s degree from Havard University and pursued MD and MBA from Yale University. He served as the 19th US Surgeon General under Batack Obama’s administration from 2014-17.

Awards

 

2. Indian Astronomers collaborate with 2020 Nobel Physics Nobel Laureate: Indian astronomers have collaborated with the 2020 Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez for the design of back-end instruments and possible science prospects of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is a proposed extremely large telescope (ELT) which is planned to be installed at Maunakea on the island of Hawaii.

About the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project: The TMT project is an international partnership between CalTech, Universities of California, Canada, Japan, China, and India, to revolutionize the understanding of the universe and the enigmas in it. Some of the Indian astronomers like Dr Annapurni Subramanium, Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and Dr Shashi Bhushan Pandey, a scientist at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) along with many others collaborated with Prof. Ghez in the ongoing research and developmental activities of the TMT project. The Thirty Meter Telescope, which seeks to advance scientific knowledge while fostering connection among the partner countries and their citizens, and in which Indian astronomers worked closely with Prof. Andrez Ghez, is expected to provide facilities with even greater capabilities to gather the observations needed to answer new and emerging questions in astronomy and physics in general.

 

3. Nepal President releases Special Anthology on Mahatma Gandhi: Nepal President, Bidya Devi Bhandari has released a special pictorial anthology on Mahatma Gandhi to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This anthology is written in the Nepali language. The book was launched at a special function held at in Kathmandu in the presence of Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.

About the Pictorial Anthology on Mahatma Gandhi: This anthology on Gandhi is titled as “Maile Bujheko Gandhi” or “the Gandhi as I understood”. The book has been released to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the culmination of the 2 year-long celebrations of ‘150 years of Mahatma’. This anthology has been published by the Indian Embassy together with the BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation. The publishers hope that the teachings, ideas of Mahatma Gandhi will bring Nepalese youth closer to the global icon. The book aims to bring to the youth of Nepal closer to Mahatma Gandhi. The book also brings together the perspectives of 25 eminent Nepali personalities about Mahatma Gandhi.

Note: Prime minister of Nepal: KP Sharma Oli; President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari; Capital of Nepal: Kathmandu; Currency: Nepalese rupee.

 

4. International Day for Tolerance: 16th November: The United Nations observes “International Day for Tolerance” on 16th November every year. The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples.

In 1994, UNESCO marked the 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth paving the way for the proclamation of 16 November as the International Day for Tolerance by the UN. This day pays tribute to the values of the Mahatma of peace, non-violence and equality. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or communication fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and non-violence. The prize is awarded every two years on the International Day for Tolerance, 16 November.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm launches “Payout Links” for small businesses: Paytm has launched “Payout Links” for businesses, enabling them to instantly process payouts to customers, employees and vendors, without collecting their bank details. It is aimed at helping small businesses in sectors like gaming, retail, export, manufacturing and e-commerce.

About Payout Links: Payout Links will allow businesses to send ‘incentives’ or refunds to the customers’ bank accounts or wallet accounts. It can be used for salary payments, vendor payments, commissions and incentive transfers to be done instantly. Paytm Payout Links can be easily created and shared with customers, vendors and employees in one go. The receiver needs to simply open the link and is automatically provided with a list of saved accounts such as Paytm Wallet, Paytm UPI and connected bank accounts, which can be chosen to receive money instantly. This service helps businesses reduce cash transactions, maintain better records, avoid errors and delays. Paytm Payout Links is extremely user friendly, intuitive and is easy to integrate with the present operations of a company.

Note: Paytm founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Paytm Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Paytm founded: 2010.

 

2. Moody’s projects India GDP for 2020 at -8.9%: Rating Agency Moody’s has projected the GDP of India at -8.9% for the calendar year 2020. Earlier this was projected at -9.6%. Apart from this, India’s GDP growth for Calendar year 2021 is projected at 8.6% by Moody’s from 8.1% earlier.

Note: Headquarters of Moody’s: NewYork, United States; President & CEO of Moody’s: Raymond W. McDaniel, Jr.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy launches 5th Scorpene Submarine “Vagir”: The Indian Navy has launched the fifth Scorpene submarine “Vagir” at Mazagon Dock of south Mumbai. The submarine is capable of taking missions such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, mine laying, intelligence gathering and area surveillance.

About Vagir: Vagir is a part of six Kalvari class submarine that is being built in India. These submarines were designed by the French Navy and an energy company DCNS. The six submarines were built under Project-75 of Indian Navy. Vagir has been named after Sand Fish. It is a deep-sea predator in the Indian Ocean. The first Vagir was commissioned in 1973. The first Vagir submarine was from Russia.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Bollywood actor Asif Basra passes away: Bollywood actor Asif Basra, who was known for his role in the recent thriller series Paatal Lok, has passed away. Apart from this, Basra had appeared in a number of Bollywood films, including a movie on the 1993 Mumbai blasts Black Friday, the 2002 Gujarat riots Parzania and Kai Po Che. He had also starred in several plays in India and abroad, performing in English, Hindi and Urdu theatre productions.

 

2. Former CM of Sikkim Sanchaman Limboo passes away: Former Sikkim chief minister Sanchaman Limboo passed away. He was 73. He was the fourth Chief Minister of Sikkim from 17 June 1994 – 12 December 1994 from Sikkim Sangram Parishad Party. He became the CM for nearly six months after toppling down the Late Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s Government of Sikkim Sangram Parishad while he was in the cabinet minister in the same government in the year 1994.

Daily GK Updates – 15th Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Finance Minister announces ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Package 3.0: The Finance Minister of India, Smt Nirmala Sitaraman has announced the ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Package 3.0. Addressing a press conference to announce more stimulus measures to boost growth. According to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, PMI rose to 58.9 in October 2020 indicating strong recovery of the economy from COVID-19 crisis. The energy consumption growth was higher in October 2020. This is yet another stimulus package ahead of Diwali. The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 2 lakh crore production-linked incentive (PLI) package to boost demand in the country.

1. Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana: A new Scheme “Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana” is being launched to incentivise the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID recovery phase. Beneficiaries (new employees) under Scheme: Any new employee joining employment in EPFO registered establishments on monthly wages less than Rs.15000/-. EPF members drawing monthly wage of less than Rs.15000/- who made exit from employment during COVID Pandemic from 01.03.2020 to 30.09.2020 and is employed on or after 01.10.2020

Scheme to be operational till 30th June 2021: Central Govt. to provide subsidy for two years in respect of newly eligible employees engaged on or after 01.10.2020 at the following scale: (a) Establishments employing up to 1000 employees: Employee’s contributions (12% of Wages); (b) Employer’s contributions (12% of wages) totalling 24% of wages; (c) Establishments employing more than 1000 employees: Only Employee’s EPF contributions (12% of EPF wages)

 

2. Rs. 3 lakh crore existing Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 1.0): Announced as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. The scheme is extended till 31st March 2021. Fully guaranteed and collateral-free. Additional credit up to 20% of outstanding loans as on 29.2.2020 for entities with outstanding credit up to Rs. 50 crore as on 29.2.2020 and annual turnover up to Rs. 250 crore, which was up to 60 days past due as on 29.2.2020. Eligible entities – MSME units, business enterprises, individual loans for business purposes and MUDRA borrowers.

Guaranteed credit for supporting stressed sectors: To be utilized for 100% guaranteed collateral-free additional credit at capped interest rates to: (i) Entities in 26 stressed sectors identified by Kamath Committee plus health care sector; (ii) with credit outstanding of above Rs. 50 crore and up to ₹500 Crore as on 29.2.2020; (iii) Entities with outstanding up to Rs. 50 crore previously covered under existing Scheme; (iv) Entities to be up to 30 days past due (SMA 0) as on 29.2.2020; (v) Additional credit up to 20% of outstanding as on 29.02.2020

 

3. Rs 1.46 lakh crore boost for Atmanirbhar Manufacturing Production-linked incentives for 10 Champion Sectors: Government of India has already approved PLI schemes for 3 sectors at a cost of Rs 51,355 crores as below:

(a) Mobile Manufacturing and specified electronics components at a cost of Rs 40,995 crore.

(b) Critical Key Starting Materials (KSM), Drug intermediates and Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients (API) at a cost of Rs. 6,940 crore.

(c) Manufacturing of Medical Devices at a cost of Rs Rs. 3,420 crore.

(d) 10 more Champion Sectors (next slide) will now be covered under the Production Linked Incentives Scheme to boost the competitiveness of domestic manufacturing.

(e) This is expected to give a significant boost to Economic Growth and domestic employment.

 

4. Rs 18,000 crores additional outlay for PM Awaas Yojana (PMAY) –Urban: A number of measures have been taken in the past several months for the revival of the Housing and Real Estate Sector. These measures have contributed to the fair recovery in this sector. (SWAMIH- 135 projects approved with an outlay of Rs. 13,200 cr. This will result in the completion of 87,000 stuck houses/Flats)

Rs 18,000 crores will be provided over the Budget Estimates for 2020-21 for Prime Minister Awaas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) through additional allocation and Extra Budgetary Resources.  This is over and above Rs 8,000 crores already this year. This will help 12 lakh houses to be grounded and 18 lakhs to be completed. Expected add jobs – 78 lakhs, Steel – 25 LMT, Cement – 131 LMT

 

5. Support for Construction & Infrastructure – Relaxation of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) & Performance Security on Government Tenders: Performance security on contracts to be reduced to 3 % instead of 5 to 10%. Will be extended to ongoing contracts which are free of disputes. Will also be extended to Public Sector Enterprises.  States will be encouraged to adopt the same. EMD will not be required for tenders and will be replaced by Bid Security Declaration. Relaxations will be given till 31.12.2021 under General Financial Rules. Will give relief to contractors by reducing locking up of capital and cost of BG 16.

 

6. Demand booster for Residential Real Estate Income Tax relief for Developers & Home Buyers: Economic slowdown has led to decline in prices of residential unit; Presently Section 43CA of IT Act restricts differential between circle rate & agreement value @ 10% – Prices may actually be lower than this. Decided to increase the differential from 10% to 20% (under section 43CA) for the period from the date of the announcement to 30th June 2021 for only primary sale of residential units of value up to Rs 2 crores. Consequential Relief up to 20% shall also be allowed to buyers of the these units under section 56(2)(x) of IT Act for the said period. The necessary amendment to IT Act would be proposed in due course. This measure will reduce hardships faced by both home-buyers and developers and help in clearing the unsold inventory.

 

7. Rs 1.10 lakh crore Platform for Infra Debt Financing – Rs 6000 crores Equity infusion in NIIF Debt Platform: Actual investments made by 3 NIIF funds in downstream funds, platforms and operating companies is Rs 19,676 cr. NIIF Strategic Opportunities Fund has set up a Debt Platform comprising an NBFC Infra Debt Fund and an NBFC Infra Finance Company. The Platform has a Loan book – Rs 8000 cr & deal pipeline of Rs. 10,000 cr. NIIF AIFL (AA rating) and IFL (AAA rating) will raise INR 95,000 crores debt from market, including project bonds. By 2025, will provide infra project financing of ~INR 110,000 crores. NIIF has already invested nearly Rs 2000 cr. in equity of the Platform. Government will invest Rs 6000 cr as equity. Rest of equity will be raised from private investors.

 

8. Support for Agriculture Rs 65,000 crores for subsidised Fertilisers: There is an estimated increase in fertiliser usage of 17.8% over the actual usage in 2019-20 of 571 lakh metric tonnes. The increase is on account of favourable monsoons and the resultant increase in sown area. Fertiliser consumption which was 499 lakh MT in 2016-17 is expected to increase to 673 lakh MT in 2020-21. Increased supply of fertilisers at subsidised rates will help 140 million farmers. Rs 65,000 crores being provided to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers to farmers to enable timely availability of fertilisers in the upcoming crop season.

 

9. Boost for Rural Employment – Enhanced outlays under PM Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana: Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana is also in progress in 116 districts. Rs 37,543 crores spent till date. PMGKRY effectively dovetails various schemes including MGNREGA, PMGSY etc. MGNREGA was provided with Rs 61,500 crore in Budget for 2020-21. Rs.40,000 crore was additionally provided in Atma Nirbhar Bharat 1.0. As on date, Rs 73,504 crore has been released under MGNREGA and 251 crore person-days of employment have been generated. Further additional outlay of Rs. 10,000 crores will be provided for PM Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana in the current financial year.

 

10. Boost for Project Exports – Rs 3000 crore to EXIM bank for Lines of Credit: Exim Bank extends Lines of Credit (LOC) on behalf of the Government of India, as assistance to developing countries under IDEAS scheme. Promotes Indian export by mandating recipient countries to import 75% value of the LOC. Supported projects cover Railways, power, transmission, road and transport, auto and auto components, sugar projects etc. As on date, 811 export contracts, aggregating USD 10.50 bn are being financed under LoCs. Rs. 3,000 crore will be released to EXIM Bank for promotion of project exports through Lines of Credit under IDEAS scheme.

 

2. CM Naveen Patnaik launched a mobile app “Secha Samadhan”: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘Secha Samadhan’, a bilingual mobile application, to address the irrigation problems faced by farmers without them having to visit the offices concerned. With the launching of the application, farmers need not run to the offices of the Water Resources department and can send their grievances through photographs or videos. The farmers will be informed about the status of their complaints through SMS. Besides, immediate steps will be taken to redress the grievances of the farmers. He also launched four other online services to resolve the issue of water distribution for industries, commercial establishments and other institutions.

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

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 2nd World Health Expo kicks off in Wuhan: The second World Health Expo was inaugurated on November 11, in Wuhan, the capital city of Central China’s Hubei Province. This year’s Expo will focus on displaying the most cutting-edge science and technology in the global health industry, and help Wuhan build “city of global health industry”. During the Expo, more than a hundred high-end forums including a summit forum, academician forum and the roundtable dialogue on epidemic prevention and normalized control, and the Global University Leaders Forum, will be organized.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

2. Kash Patel named Chief of Staff to acting US Defence Secretary: Indian-American Kash Patel has been named as the Chief of Staff to the Acting US Defence Secretary Chris Miller. The new appointment comes a day after Donald Trump fired Defence Secretary Mark Esper and designated Chris Miller, as the Acting Secretary. Kash Patel is currently on the National Security Council staff. He replaces Jen Stewart, who resigned earlier in the day.

Kashyap Pramod Patel, popularly known as Kash Patel, had previously served as senior counsel for counter-terrorism at the House Permanent Select Committee. In June 2019, Patel, 39, was appointed as senior director of Counter-terrorism Directorate of the National Security Council (NSC) in the White House.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. China’s Chen Meng claims ITTF Women’s World Cup title: The world number one Chen Meng beat Chinese compatriot Sun Yingsha to win her maiden International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Women’s World Cup table tennis title in held in Weihai, China. The 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup was the 24th edition of the ITTF-sanctioned event.

Note: President of ITTF: Thomas Weikert; Headquarters of ITTF: Lausanne, Switzerland; ITTF founded: 1926.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank launches SmartHub Merchant Solutions 3.0 for SMEs: HDFC Bank has announced the launch of “SmartHub Merchant Solutions 3.0” for Small and mid-size enterprises. This solution allows merchants and self-employed professionals to instantly open a current account and start accepting payments in-store, online, and on-the-go. The Bank plans to reach out to more than 20 million small and medium merchants and professional services like doctors, pharmacies, salons and laundry services across the metro, semi-urban and rural India in the next three years. The merchant solution was launched at a virtual event held in Mumbai by Parag Rao, Country Head – Payments, Consumer Finance, Marketing and Digital Banking at HDFC Bank along with T R Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa.

About SmartHub 3.0: SmartHub 3.0 will be available in app-based, web-based and a range of PoS devices and will have features like digitizing Khata, enabling collection reminders, inventory management, billing software and lending to merchants’ basis their banking.

Key features: Instant account opening and merchant setup; Payment collection through any mode – Bharat QR code, Aadhaar Pay, UPI, SMS Pay, Credit or Debit Cards, or any app such as Payzapp, Google Pay; Customise interface in nine languages; Share product catalogue with customers via SMS, email or Whatsapp; View and apply for loan and credit card offers; Single dashboard view of payments and dues across locations; Merchants can also create their own customer loyalty program on this solution. They can run their own ‘discounts and offers’ for their customers.

Note: CEO & MD of the HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan; The tagline of HDFC Bank: We Understand Your World; HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. M. Venkaiah Naidu presents 2nd National Water Awards: The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has presented the National Water Awards (NWAs) for 2019. This is the second edition of the award. Among the states category, Tamil Nadu bagged the Best State Award, followed by Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

About National Water Awards: The award ceremony has been organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation are from 11 & 12 November 2020 through the virtual platform. The NWA awards are given to motivate the individuals/organizations to adopt the best usage practices in the field of water resources conservation and management and create awareness among the people about the importance of water.

Note: Minister of Jal Shakti: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Bahrain’s long-serving PM Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa passes away: Bahrain’s Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa has passed away. He was 84. He was not only the longest-serving PM of Bahrain, but he was the world’s longest-serving prime minister. He had held the post since independence in 1971. He played a key role in Bahrain’s political and economic affairs for more than three decades after setting the stage for a referendum that put paid to the Shah of Iran’s claims to the tiny Gulf archipelago.

Note: King of Bahrain: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; Capital of Bahrain: Manama; Currency of Bahrain: Bahraini Dinar.

Daily GK Updates – 14th Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Digital/Online media now under govt regulation: Digital/Online media has been brought under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Currently, there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content. The 2nd Schedule of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961 has been amended to include following entries viz. Films and Audio-Visual programmes, News and current affairs content. This means that digital content providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hotstar will now be regulated by the Union ministry headed by Prakash Javadekar.

About the Amendment: The I&B ministry will also regulate online audio-visual programmes and current affairs content, according to the amendment order signed by President Ram Nath Kovind. The decision has been taken in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 77 of the Constitution, by amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 and it will come into effect immediately. This means OTT platforms, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc and online news portals are brought under the control of the Ministry. Other subjects which are under the purview of the Ministry are Broadcasting Policy And Administration, Cable Television Policy, Radio, Doordarshan, Films, Advertising And Visual Publicity, Press, Publications, Research And Reference etc. Centre had submitted that it is necessary to lay down guidelines for the “web-based digital media” which includes “web magazines” and “web-based news channels” and “web-based news-papers” as the same not only has a very wide reach but is completely uncontrolled.

Note: Minister of Information and Broadcasting: Prakash Javadekar.

 

2. Azim Premji tops Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020: The founder-chairman of Wipro Ltd, Azim Premji has topped the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. The 75-year-old made the highest contribution of Rs 7,904 crore between April 2019 and March 2020 towards philanthropic causes. It ranks individuals from India who donated Rs 5 crore and above between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, towards philanthropic contributions. Shiv Nadar, founder and chairman of HCL Technologies, ranked second (Rs 795 crore) on the list. He topped the list in 2019. India’s richest man and the chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani stood at the third spot (Rs 458 crore). 7 women found a place in the list with Rohini Nilekani (donating Rs 47 crore) being India’s most generous woman; followed by Anu Aga & family of Thermax (Rs 36 crore), and Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Rs 34 crore).

About EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020: The EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020 is compiled by the EdelGive Foundation and Hurun Research Institute. It is the seventh edition of the annual list. EdelGive Hurun India philanthropy list includes cash and cash equivalents pledged with legally binding commitments for the twelve months between April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, and the latest available CSR data filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. For 2020, the list features individuals who have donated Rs 5 crore or more during the period under review.

 

3. Thavaasmi book launched by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu: Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu has launched the book titled “Thavaasmi: Life and Skills through the lens of Ramayana”. The book was authored by Rallabandi Srirama Chakradhar and co-author by Amara Sarada Deepthi. Thavaasmi is in 4 volumes prepared by a team of young professionals. The book presents the story of Ramayana as a dialogue between a father and daughter with a number of exercises making it an interesting learning experience.

 

4. National Ayurveda Day: 13th November: National Ayurveda Day is being observed every year from 2016, on the day of Dhanwantri Jayanti. This year the 5th Ayurveda Day falls on November 13, 2020. The Potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic will be the focus of this year’s ‘Ayurveda Day’ observation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the two future-ready Ayurveda institutions in Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) at Jamnagar in Gujarat and the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) at Jaipur in Rajasthan on November 13. These institutions are expected to play global leadership roles in the growth and development of Ayurveda in the 21st century.

 

5. Children’s Day: 14th November: On 14th November, Children’s Day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. Children’s Day is popularly known as ‘Baal Diwas’ in India. The day aims at increasing the awareness of the rights, care and education of children. On this day, many educational and motivational programs are organised across the country, by and for children.

History of Children’s Day: Jawaharlal Nehru, who was India’s first Prime Minister, was quite famous among children and was popularly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’. Following his death in 1964, it was decided that to move the celebrations of Children’s Day to November 14 as a mark of respect to him and to commemorate his fondness for children. A resolution was passed in the Parliament and since then, Children’s Day is celebrated in India on November 14 every year. Notably, Children’s Day was celebrated in India first on November 20, 1956, along with the Universal Children’s Day.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Australia-India Water Centre inaugurated virtually: Australia-India Water Centre (AIWC) has been inaugurated in a virtual event to promote water-related research, teaching, and training between the two countries. This Water Centre is led by IIT Guwahati from the Indian side and the University of Western Sydney from the Australian side. Along with this, the centre has 21 partners from India and Australia.

About the MoU: The 5-year MoU has been signed to establish an understanding of cooperation for the Australia India Water Centre (AIWC) between the parties. The agreement will bring collaboration in capacity building, technology transfer focusing on water security, river health, safe drinking water, etc. The agreement signed on this occasion tries to explain the cooperation between all the parties. All the included parties will work closely for collaboration in the field of water research, student and staff exchanges, for a joint Master’s level course in water futures, workshops, short-term training, conferences, etc.

About the Water Centre: This Water Centre will help the Indian and Australian partners to explore opportunities and create synergy for a long-time collaboration in the field of research and education between the two countries. This Water Centre will help in fighting against the common water challenges and issues faced by both the countries like floods, droughts, water security, climate change, over-exploitation of water, degradation of water quality, etc.

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

 

2. Nirmala Sitharaman Attends First BRICS Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors Meeting: The first BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Russia on 09 November 2020, via video-conferencing. From India, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the meeting, to discuss the BRICS Economic and Financial Cooperation agenda for 2020. Some of the important agendas discussed during the meeting involved discussions on the outcomes of the G20 Saudi Presidency in 2020, develop a digital platform to encourage infrastructure investments (Russia’s initiative) and expansion of the membership of the New Development Bank (NDB).

 

3. PM Modi Leads Indian delegation at 20th SCO Council of Heads of State Summit: The 20th Summit of SCO Council of Heads of State was held on November 10, 2020, in Video Conference Format. The Meeting was chaired by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi led the Indian delegation.

About the Summit: All SCO Member States were represented by their Presidents, while India and Pakistan were represented at the level of Prime Minister. The Secretary-General of the SCO Secretariat, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, the Presidents of the four Observers (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia) of the SCO also attended the meeting.

This was the third meeting that India participated after becoming a full member in 2017. India will host the next regular meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government on November 30, 2020, in virtual format.

 

6. World Diabetes Day: 14th November: World Diabetes Day is observed on 14th November every year. The campaign aims to raise awareness around the crucial role that nurses play in supporting people living with diabetes. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2020 is “The Nurse and Diabetes.”  In 2007 General Assembly adopted resolution 61/225 designating 14 November as World Diabetes Day. The document recognized “the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to treatment and health-care education.”

About the Diabetes: Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation. A healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In addition, diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening and treatment for complications.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mumbai Indians wins IPL 2020 trophy: Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals in the final of Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 to lift their fifth IPL trophy. Chasing 157 runs for victory, Mumbai were helped by their captain Rohit Sharma, who hit 68 runs off 51 balls. Mumbai had defeated Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2019 final. They have now become the only side after Chennai Super Kings to defend the title. Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul bagged the Orange Cap for being the leading run-scorer of the IPL 2020. He racked up 670 runs from 14 games at an astronomical average of 55.83. Delhi Capitals’ Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap after finishing at the top of the table with a total of 30 wickets at the end of IPL 2020. Here are the award winners:

Rohit Sharma adjudged Game Changer of the Match in the final of IPL 2020.

Trent Boult named the Player of the Match in the final of IPL 2020.

Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul bags the Orange Cap.

Game Changer of the Season: KL Rahul.

Delhi Capitals’ Kagiso Rabada wins the Purple Cap.

Emerging Player of the season: Devdutt Padikkal (RCB).

Rajasthan Royals speedster Jofra Archer emerges as the Most Valuable Player.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bharti AXA General Insurance launches cancer awareness drive on social media: Bharti AXA General Insurance has launched #CancerSendsNoNotifications campaign – a special initiative to increase awareness and spread knowledge on detecting the disease early among people in India. Observing the ‘National Cancer Awareness Day’, the company has embarked upon this social media campaign comprising a series of activities to be held throughout the month to highlight the significance of increased awareness about cancer prevention and early detection among the public. Through this cancer awareness drive, Bharti AXA aims to engage with close to a million Indians on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Ruskin Bond conferred with Tata Literature Lifetime Achievement Award: Ruskin Bond, one of India’s most cherished authors was conferred Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020. He has a substantial body of work, close to 100 books – across genres for children and adults. Bond writing has charmed both categories of readers into lifelong love and admiration. He has been recognised by the Indian Council of Child Education for his contribution to the growth of children’s literature in India. His famous works: Room on the roof, Blue Umbrella, etc. He was conferred the Padma Shri & Padma Bhushan.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. ‘Scooby-Doo’ Co-creator Ken Spears passes away: American television editor, writer and producer Ken Spears, who co-created the beloved animated series “Scooby-Doo” passed away. He was also the co-founder of television animation production company, Ruby-Spears Productions, along with the late Joe Ruby. Together, Spears and Ruby created Scooby-Doo, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, and Jabberjaw, among other programs. Joe Ruby has recently passed away on August 26, 2020.

Daily GK Updates – 13th Nov, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Assam: Tezpur Litchi gets GI tag: The Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has announced that Assam’s Tezpur Litchi has been given the geographical indication (GI) tag, though the litchis name in the GI tag list is there since 2015. The application for GI tagging was made on 28th August 2013 by North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC). Tezpur Litchi of Assam has got the geographical indication (GI) tags, making this item an incontrovertible proof of their origins in the state, and protecting them from production elsewhere. Litchi’s from Tezpur is known for its excellent quality, pleasant flavour, juicy pulp with attractive red colour.

About geographical indication: A geographical indication is used on a product of specific geographical origin that attains its uniqueness or reputation because of its place of origin. An application needs to be filed in the office of the controller general of patents, designs and trademarks. The development has been confirmed by the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an apex body under the Union ministry of commerce and industry, which is responsible for the export promotion of agricultural products.

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

 

2. Hardeep S. Puri inaugurates 13th Urban Mobility India Conference 2020: The 13th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It was inaugurated by Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of State (IC) Housing and Urban Affairs. The day-long conference was held via Video Conference on the theme “Emerging Trends in Urban Mobility”.

About the conference: The conference focused on innovative measures taken at the national and international level to address the challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic to provide accessible and convenient transport to the people. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had issued the National Urban Transport Policy, 2006 (NUTP) to ensure safe, affordable, quick, comfortable, reliable and sustainable access for the growing number of city residents to jobs, education, recreation and such other needs within our cities. As part of the NUTP, the Ministry has been organizing the annual international Conference-cum-Exhibition on Urban Mobility India popularly known as UMI. The primary objective of the conference is to disseminate information to the cities, whose officials attend the conference to help them keep up-to-date with the latest and best urban transport practices globally.

 

3. PM Modi inaugurates Ro-Pax Hazira-Ghogha ferry service in Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Ro-pax ferry services between Hazira near Surat and Ghogha in Bhavnagar district, through video conferencing. This ferry service will reduce the distance between Bhavnagar and Surat from 375 km (by road) to just 90 kilometres (by sea route). The three-deck Ro-Pax Ferry Vessel ‘Voyage Symphony’ connecting Hazira in Surat district of south Gujarat and Ghogha in Saurashtra’s Bhavnagar has a load capacity of 30 trucks, 100 passenger cars, and 500 passengers plus 34 crew and hospitality staff.  The Ro-Pax terminal is 100 metre long and 40 metre wide costing approximately Rs 25 crore.

 

4. ‘Karkhanisanchi Waari’ only Indian entry at Tokyo Film Festival: Marathi film, Karkhanisanchi Waari (Ashes on a Road Trip), the 149-minute film tells the story of the Karkhanis, the last joint family of Pune. The movie was directed by Mangesh Joshi. The movie will have its world premiere at the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival. It is the only Indian entry at the festival.

 

5. Tamil Nadu tops Indian states in new investments in H1FY21: CARE Ratings: Tamil Nadu leads Indian states in attracting investments during the first half of FY21, having managed to grab 16 per cent of the funds that came into India during the period, according to CARE Ratings. Andhra Pradesh garnered 11 per cent, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka have garnered seven per cent each, while the balance went to the other states. Tamil Nadu topped fresh investments in the first quarter, according to Projects Today’s latest report on investment announcements in the July to September quarter. Karnataka was third in the list, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra. The CARE Ratings reports said all-India investments for new projects have been falling the past five years during April–September, save for H1FY19, when they rose 29% YoY to Rs 7.7 trillion from Rs 6 trillion in H1FY18. New projects announced for H1FY21 fell sharply by 69 per cent to Rs 1.5 trillion compared with Rs 4.8 trillion last year. This sharp fall was owing to the lack of economic activity due to the pandemic induced lockdown announced nationally in the last week of March 2020.

 

6. IIT-Bombay launches self-help website ‘Bandhu’ for students: With the pandemic adding to the stress of students, IIT Bombay launched a selfhelp website to assist them through the tough time and enhance their emotional wellbeing. The website – ‘Bandhu’ (a friend in need), iitb-bandhu.com – is an initiative of IIT Bombay’s batch of 1992.  The website addresses several issues such as procrastination, exam stress, the fear of failure, hostel life, discrimination, peer pressure, Internet addiction and a range of mental health issues. It also discusses a few techniques for relaxation and dealing with certain stressors.

 

7. National Education Day: 11th November: In India, the National Education Day or Rashtriya Shiksha Diwas is celebrated on 11 November every year. The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India. According to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, schools are the laboratories that produce future citizens of the country. He is the person behind IITs and various other institutes in India. On 11 September 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has announced to commemorate the birthday of the great person by recalling the contribution of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the field of education by celebrating 11 November as National Education Day. Since 2008, every year in India, National Education Day is celebrated without declaring it a holiday.

About Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s contributions in the field of education, nation-building, and institution-building are exemplary. He is the key architect of education in India. The first education minister of independent India from 1947 to 1958. He was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously, India’s highest civilian honour in 1992.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India and Maldives sign four agreements: India and the Maldives have signed four agreements, during the visit of Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to the Maldives. Shringla is on a two-day visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago. These MOUs will help to improve the relations between the two countries. Maldives tourism industry has been greatly affected by COVID-19 and because of this India provided a loan of $250 million to the country in September 2020. The Indian foreign secretary appreciated the “India First” policy of Maldives and also said that it is strongly reciprocated by India through “Neighborhood First” policy.

MoUs signed includes: Grant of $100 million by India, which is part of India’s “$500 million packages” for the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) that will link capital Male with three islands. India will also provide a $400-million line of credit for the project through EXIM, the largest such infrastructure venture undertaken in the Maldives. The second agreement signed between the two countries is to set up a plant and soil testing laboratory with a grant of 1.71 million Maldivian rufiyaas. The third agreement has been signed for the establishment of a drug detox facility with another grant of 7.7 million Maldivian rufiyaas. The fourth MOU was signed to increase cooperation in the field of sports and youth affairs between both the countries.

Note: President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih; Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa.

 

2. World Pneumonia Day: 12th November: World Pneumonia Day is observed globally on 12th November every year. The day is celebrated to raise awareness, promote prevention and treatment and produce action to combat the disease. The day was first celebrated in the year 2009. The day was celebrated on November 12 in 2009 by the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia. Since then the day has provided an annual forum for the world in standing together against the disease. The day is celebrated all over the world through various events and activities related to Pneumonia.

 

3. Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12th November: Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated on 12 November every year. The day is celebrated to commemorate the first and only visit of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, to the studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947. On 12 November 1947, Mahatma Gandhi addressed the displaced people (a refugee from Pakistan), who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition. The day was declared as Public Service Broadcasting Day or (Jan Prasaran Diwas) in 2000, after it was conceptualised by Suhas Borker, Convenor, Jan Prasar. Prasar Bharati has been given the responsibility of public service broadcasting, deepen democratic traditions and provide opportunities to all diverse communities and cultures. Mahatma Gandhi had decided to visit the studio of All India Radio, to convey his message through radio, as he couldn’t visit refugees of Partition stationed at Kurukshetra in Haryana.

 

4. World Kindness Day: 13th November: World Kindness Day is observed globally on 13th November every year. The day is celebrated to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us. World Kindness Day was first celebrated in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement. The theme for the 2020 World Kindness day is Kindness: The World We Make – Inspire Kindness.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI announces co-lending scheme for banks, NBFCs for priority sector: The Reserve Bank came out with a Co-Lending Model (CLM) scheme under which banks can provide loans along with NBFCs to priority sector borrowers based on a prior agreement. Under the CLM, banks will be permitted to co-lend with all registered NBFCs (including HFCs) based on a prior agreement, RBI said, adding that “the co-lending banks will take their share of the individual loans on a back-to-back basis in their books”. The CLM, which is an improvement over the co-origination of loan scheme announced by the RBI in September 2018, seeks to provide greater flexibility to the lending institutions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The NBFCs will be  required to retain a minimum of 20% share of the individual loans.

 

2. Airtel Payments Bank partners with Bharti Axa General Insurance to offer car insurance: Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA General Insurance to offer comprehensive car insurance to the payments bank’s customers. The Smart Drive Private Car Insurance offers financial protection against damage to the vehicle due to accident, theft, and natural and man-made disasters. The car insurance offered through Airtel Payments Bank also compensates for injury or damages to another person or property caused due to a car accident.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IFFCO Bazar Partners With SBI YONO Krishi App: www.iffcobazar.in, the e-commerce arm of IFFCO has announced its integration with the SBI YONO Krishi, which is the dedicated portal catering to the farmer’s needs. This will ensure that a wide variety of agriculture products are made accessible to lakhs of Indian Farmers. Hassle free payment portal of SBI YONO and quality products of IFFCO is a combination which aims to drive the digital sales in this segment.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Rajnath Singh unveils model of Anti-Satellite Missile at DRDO Bhawan: A model of Anti Satellite (A-SAT) Missile installed inside DRDO Bhawan was unveiled by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The installation of the A-SAT model will inspire the DRDO fraternity to take up many more such challenging missions in future.

About ‘Mission Shakti’: ‘Mission Shakti’ was the country’s first-ever Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile Test successfully conducted on 27th March 2019 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha, where a fast-moving Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit was neutralised with pinpoint accuracy. This made India 4th nation in the world with the capability to defend its assets in outer space.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Gujarati columnist Carlos Gonzalez Valles SJ passes away: Author & Gujarati columnist, Father Carlos Gonzalez Valles SJ passed away. A Jesuit priest born in Spain, he was a Mathematics teacher. He wrote in Gujarati, English & Spanish. He translated many mathematical concepts into Gujarati and coined terms. He is popularly known as Father Valles.