Daily GK Updates – 30th Nov, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi Inaugurates 3rd global renewable energy event “RE-INVEST” 2020: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 3rd Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo (RE-Invest 2020) through video conferencing. The summit is organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The theme for RE-Invest 2020 is ‘Innovations for Sustainable Energy Transition’. The first two editions of RE-Invest were held in 2015 and 2018. The two day virtual programme will provide an international forum for investment promotion in renewable energy sector and an opportunity to various countries, states, business houses & organizations to showcase their strategies, achievements and expectations. It must be noted that India has set an ambitious target of having 175GW of renewable energy by 2022 and 450GW by 2030.

 

2. L&T bags Rs 7,000-cr order to construct part of Bullet Train project: Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has bagged an order worth over Rs 7,000 crore to construct a part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR), also known as the Bullet Train Project. The scope of the order includes the construction of viaducts, one station, major river bridges, maintenance depots, and other auxiliary works. The approximately 508 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project will cover Maharashtra, Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Gujarat, with 12 stations along the route. Upon completion, the high-speed rail will operate at a speed of 320 kmph, covering the entire distance in approximately 2 hours with limited stops and in 3 hours with all stops.

Note: Larsen and Toubro CEO: S. N. Subrahmanyan; Larsen and Toubro Founded: 7 February 1938; Larsen and Toubro Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

3. Ayodhya Airport to be renamed as Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram Airport: Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has cleared the proposal to rename the Ayodhya airport as Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram Airport, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The proposal for the same will be sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation after it is passed by the state Assembly. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had announced on the occasion of Deepotsav on Diwali eve in November 2018 that Ayodhya will have both international and domestic terminals and could potentially be one of the largest airports of UP.

Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Aditya Nath; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

4. Bengaluru’s Bowring Medical College named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute in Bengaluru have been named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The institute was set up in 2018-19 on the campus of Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Shivajinagar in the heart of Bengaluru.

About Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party to become the Prime Minister. He served as Prime Minister thrice — briefly in 1996, from 1998 to 1999, and then for a full five-year term between 1999 and 2004. Among his several portfolios, Vajpayee had also served as External Affairs Minister during PM Morarji Desai’s tenure during 1977 and 1979.

 

5. 10th edition of National Science Film Festival begins virtually: The 10th edition of prestigious National science film festival kicked off on 24th November 2020 in a virtual mode. The four-day long film festival has been jointly organized by Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous agency under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India and the Tripura State Council of Science and Technology, Govt. of Tripura from 24 to 27 November 2020. The science film festival offers a unique platform to showcase the science films made by professionals, amateur and student filmmakers under various themes, to promote science films in India. A total of 372 films in different languages ​​were received for participation, of which 115 films have been shortlisted by the ten-member jury to be screened during the festival. These films are in Hindi, English, Urdu, Malayalam, Kashmiri, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi and Tamil languages.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UNDP and Invest India tie-up to launch the SDG Investor Map for India: The National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Invest India has partnered with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India to develop the first-ever ‘SDG Investor Map for India’. The map lays out 18 Investment Opportunities Areas (IOAs) in six critical SDG enabling sectors, that can help India to move forward on Sustainable Development path. This initiative is an instrumental stride in India’s development trajectory.

The Map comes at a critical time for India. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financing gap for the SDGs in India has only widened further and decades of development progress is nearly on the verge of a reversal. Investing in the SDGs at this point is crucial to ‘Building Back Better’ and making the economy and our societies more resilient and sustainable. Enhanced productivity, technology adoption and increased inclusion are all critical factors that this map uses to identify the most attractive sectors for investors.

About SDG Investor Map Report for India: This data-backed research and insights will act as the blueprints to provide a better understanding of how best the SDG financing gap can be reduced in India. The development pathway of India will determine the achievements of the global environmental social targets, therefore it is critical to ensure that these pathways are sustainable, resilient and equitable. The 6 SDG sectors include education, healthcare, agriculture & allied activities, financial services, renewable energy & alternatives and sustainable environment and the IOA’s in these sectors were selected through an analytical process which include consultations with major domestic and international investors, government stakeholders and think-tanks. Government continues to show strong support for the SDGs and sustainable recovery, mobilizing this kind of capital and supporting the on-ground innovation needed to meet the SDG targets by 2030

Key highlights of the SDG Investor Map: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the SDG financing gap by around 400 billion USD in creating international locations including the pre-COVID19 shortfall of around 2 to 2.5 trillion USD per annum. Around 50% of the selected IOA’s have historical investments and have yielded Internal Rate of Return(IRRs) more than 20%. Around 84% of IOA’s have investment time frames from short term (less than 5 years) to medium term (5 to 15 years).

Note: Invest India is a non-profit venture under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Invest India MD and CEO: Deepak Bagla; Invest India Established: 2009; Invest India Headquarter: New Delhi.

 

2. Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare: 30th November: The United Nation recognised Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare on 30th November every year since 2005. The day marks a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

The history of the serious efforts to achieve chemical disarmament that culminated in the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention began more than a century ago. Chemical weapons were used on a massive scale during World War I, resulting in more than 100,000 fatalities and a million casualties.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sports Minister launches 2nd edition of Fit India School Week: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has launched the 2nd edition of the “Fit India School Week” program in the presence of Fit India Mission. Sports Minister encourages school children to participate in the Fit India movement. To participate in the program the schools have to register themselves on www.fitindia.gov.in/fit-india-school-week. The Fit India School week program was launched in November last year and saw participation from over 15 thousand schools across the country.

Note: Founder of FIT India: Suparno Satpathy.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank signs MoU with ICCI to support SMEs and Start-ups: HDFC Bank has signed an MoU with Inventivepreneur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) to support SMEs and Start-ups. Through this association, ICCI will engage, enrol and support various Startups /SMEs /MSMEs to facilitate inter-alia financial and other facilities to/from HDFC Bank. ICCI and HDFC Bank jointly conduct diverse networking activities, awareness camps and interactive sessions, Business Events.

About MoU: Role of HDFC Bank: HDFC Bank may offer bank accounts to Startups that are supported by INVENTIVEPRENEUR and recommended by INVENTIVEPRENEUR. HDFC Bank will offer key business support functions like shared workspaces, digital marketing, web services, Patent filing, content writing, tax, and legal advisory to ICCI recommended businesses.

Role of ICCI: ICCI will evaluate and recommend potential Startups /SMEs /MSMEs for investments. ICCI will support businesses to pitch their solutions to requisite stakeholders and will work towards providing them with an opportunity to showcase their solutions. Inventivepreneur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) is operational as the biggest platform to support entrepreneurship globally. ICCI will review and examine the overall profile of the businesses such as their background, potential worthiness, and investment worthiness. It will also sensitize the investor network to listed SME-Startups and curate startups. ICCI will offer industry connections to respective HDFC startups globally and support entrepreneurship nationwide through knowledge transmission on government announced programs, Acceleration Fund, International Presence and Global Business Relations.

Note: ICCI Headquarters: New Delhi, India; President of ICCI: Ritika Yadav.

Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra; MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: Sashidhar Jagdishan(Succeeds Aditya Puri); The tagline of HDFC Bank: We understand your world.

 

2. HDFC Life, HDFC Ergo unveil combi Corona Kavach health insurance policy: HDFC Life and HDFC Ergo joined hands to launch a combi insurance product ‘Click 2 Protect Corona Kavach’. With HDFC Life’s Click 2 Protect 3D Plus and HDFC Ergo’s Corona Kavach policies, the new insurance policy offers “a complete financial protection package in the current pandemic environment. An individual can choose from the available options provided by HDFC Life’s Click 2 Protect 3D Plus, including premium waiver for accidental total permanent disability or on diagnosis of critical illness and can also avail of a COVID-19 health cover. The ambulance charges, home care treatment charges, pre and post hospitalisation charges if diagnosed with COVID-19 will be included in the Corona Kavach policy. The COVID-19 health cover can be extended to spouse, dependent children below 25 years of age, dependent parents and parents-in-law under the family floater cover.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Lt Gen Harpal Singh appointed new Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army: Lt Gen Harpal Singh has appointed new Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army.  He is presently the Director-General of Border Roads Organisation and would take over his new appointment on 1 December.

About Lt Gen Harpal Singh: Lt Gen Harpal Singh, an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers on 24 December 1982. He later commanded a Border Roads, Task Force, in Jammu and Kashmir valley. He has also been the Chief Engineer of Project Dantak (BRO) at Bhutan, Chief Engineer (Navy), Mumbai and Chief Engineer HQ Eastern Command. Lt Gen Harpal Singh is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College courses.

Major Gen Rajeev Chaudhary has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation. The BRO is responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads along the borders with China and Pakistan.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Father of Indian IT industry FC Kohli passes away: Founder of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Faqir Chand Kohli, better known as the Father of the Indian IT industry, passed away. Besides being the founder, he was also the first CEO of TCS. Kohli also worked as the deputy general manager of Tata Power Company and was the Chairman of the Board of Governors of College of Engineering, Pune.  As the first CEO of TCS, he pioneered India’s IT revolution and helped the country build the $190-billion IT industry.  A visionary and pioneer by nature, he was a recipient of Padma Bhushan from the Government of India.

Daily GK Updates – 29th Nov, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ladakh gets largest solar project at Leh Indian Air Force station: The Union Territory of Ladakh has got the largest solar power project set up under the Centre’s ‘Make In India’ initiative at Leh IAF station to provide sustainable energy alternative to fossil fuel and traditional methods of energy generation. The project namely ‘Provision of Solar Photo Voltaic Powerplant 1.5 MW’ has been completed within 12 months well before the completion deadline of March 31, 2021.

About the Project: The largest solar project at a high altitude in the entire Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh has been established at IAF Station Leh. The project was conceptualised under Make In India, and executed to provide sustainable energy alternative to fossil fuel and traditional methods. It is the largest installed solar project till date out of the target of 300 MW in three phases for defence sectors and 14 MW for Leh region as set by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The project worth Rs 122 crore was recently inaugurated by Air Marshal V R Chaudhari, Commander-in-chief, Western Air Command.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: Radha Krishna Mathur.

 

2. Thaawarchand Gehlot e-launches National Portal for Transgender Persons: Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot has e-launched a ‘National Portal for Transgender Persons’ and e-inaugurated a ‘Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’ in Vadodara, Gujarat.

About the National Portal for Transgender Persons: This National Portal for Transgender Persons has been developed within 2 months of Notification of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 on 29 September 2020. This highly useful Portal would help a transgender person in applying for a Certificate and Identity card digitally from anywhere in the country. The most important benefit is that it helps the transgender person to get the I-Card without any physical interface and without having to visit any office. Through the Portal, they can monitor the status of their application that ensures transparency in the process. The issuing authorities are also under strict timelines to process the applications and issue certificates and identity cards without any necessary delays. Once the Certificate and I-card are issued, the applicant can download them from the Portal itself. In case of delay or rejection, the applicant has the options to submit grievances through the Portal which are forwarded to the concerned person and will be resolved at the earliest. This portal will help a lot of people from the community to come forward and get Transgender Certificate and Identity Cards as per their self-perceived identity which is an important provision of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

‘Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’: ‘Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’ will be run in association with Lakshya Trust, a Community based organisation entirely run by the Transgenders. The purpose of the Shelter Home is to provide shelter to Transgender persons, with basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and recreational facilities. Besides, it will provide support for the capacity-building/skill development of persons in the Community, which will enable them to lead a life of dignity and respect. The Scheme of ‘Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’ includes shelter facility, food, clothing, recreational facilities, skill development opportunities, yoga, meditation/prayers, physical fitness, library facilities, legal support, technical advice for gender transition and surgeries, capacity building of trans-friendly organizations, employment and skill-building support, etc.

The Nodal Ministry has taken the first step in improving the conditions of Transgender persons and has identified 10 cities to set up the 13 Shelter Homes and extend the facilities to Transgender persons, in association with selected 13 CBOs in the country on a pilot basis. The cities include Vadodara, New Delhi, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Kolkata, Manipur, Chennai, Raipur, Mumbai, etc. The scheme will rehabilitate a minimum of 25 transgender persons in each home identified by the Ministry. This is a pilot project, and on its successful completion, similar schemes will be extended to other parts of the country.

 

3. PM Modi releases book on the Life of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released a book on the life and ideals of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism and first of its ten gurus. The book has been penned by Kirpal Singh Ji. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was also present during the book release.

 

4. National Organ Donation Day: 27th November: The ‘National Organ Donation Day’ is observed in India every year on 27 November, since past 10 years. The day aims to promote awareness and recognize the selfless contribution made by deceased donors to healthcare and mankind re-instil our faith in humanity. The year 2020 marks the 11th National Organ Donation Day. It is organised by the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Note: National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Russia test-fired Tsirkon hypersonic missile in the Arctic: Russia successfully test-fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile in the Arctic. The frigate Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile, hitting a naval target 450 km away in the Barents Sea at a speed of over Mach 8. In early January, the same frigate test-fired a Tsirkon missile for the first time, striking a ground target over 500 km away. Last month, the warship deployed in the White Sea destroyed a naval target in the Barents Sea with a Tsirkon missile.

 

2. UN release $25 mn for women-led projects fighting gender-based violence: The United Nations humanitarian chief has released 25 million US dollars from its emergency fund to support women-led organisations that prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The funding has gone to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women that have been asked to channel at least 30 per cent of it to organisations run by women that prevent violence against women and girls, and help victims and survivors with access to medical care, family planning, legal advice, safe spaces, mental health services and counselling.

 

3. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: 29th November: The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is an UN-organized day held every year on November 29. It is observed to mark the anniversary of resolution 181, wherein the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine on November 29, 1947.

In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine. This date, which was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people, is based on the call by the United Nations General Assembly for an annual observance of the resolution on the partition of Palestine.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NSDL Payments Bank partners with HDFC ERGO to offer customised Insurance Solutions: HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company has tied up with NSDL Payments Bank Limited to offer a range of general insurance products to the bank’s customers. The partnership aims to bring together the deep distribution network of NSDL Payments Bank and the strong innovation pipeline of HDFC ERGO to contribute towards financial inclusion in the country. Through this partnership, HDFC ERGO is yet again enforcing our commitment of reaching out to customers and making our products available to all possible sections of the society.

 

2. Muthoot Finance launches ‘Gold Shield’ scheme in partnership with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance: One of the largest gold loan NBFC Company, Muthoot Finance has launched a gold jewellery insurance scheme called ‘Gold Shield’ in partnership with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance. The gold shield will provide insurance coverage to Indian citizens on their gold jewellery at the time of closure of gold loan and release of the gold ornaments. Additionally, the scheme includes benefits like insurance coverage against burglary, robbery, theft, loss-in-transit and 13 other disasters (natural calamities).

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IPPB launches PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has launched a low-cost insurance scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)’ for its customers to bring large sections of the underserved and unserved population into the financial mainstream. IPPB has collaborated with PNB MetLife India Insurance Company for this product. Features of PMJJBY:

(1) To provide protection and financial security to the poor and underprivileged, especially in unbanked and remote areas of India, in the unforeseen and unfortunate event of the loss of a family member who is primarily the breadwinner.

(2) Anyone who has a savings account with IPPB.

(3) Minimum age 18 years and a maximum age 50 years.

(4) The maximum coverage of Rs 2,00,000 per life irrespective of multiple accounts/multiple certificates of insurance held under the PMJJBY scheme.

(5) Premium Rs 330 to be paid annually.

(6) Completion of 55 years (Age near Birthday).

Note: Managing Director & CEO of IPPB: J Venkatramu; India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) Headquarters: New Delhi; Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched IPPB in 2018.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Malayalam film ‘Jallikattu’ is India’s official entry for the Oscars: Malayalam film “Jallikattu”, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Jallikattu is the third Malayalam film after Guru (1997) and Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) to be chosen as the country’s official entry for the Oscars. Jallikattu premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, garnering praise from critics. It was later screened at the Busan International Film Festival and a host of other major venues. In 2019, Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, was India’s entry to the Oscars.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO flags off first ‘Varunastra’ Heavy Weight Torpedo: The Defence Research and Development (DRDO) Chairman G Satheesh Reddy has flagged off the first Production unit of Heavy Weight Torpedo (HWT), Varunastra. The Varunastra has been designed and developed by Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) of DRDO while Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Vishakhapatnam has manufactured the torpedo for the Indian Navy.

About the Varunastra: Varunastra is a ship-launched, heavyweight, electrically propelled anti-submarine torpedo. It can be launched from ships that can fire heavyweight torpedoes to engage quiet submarines in deep and shallow waters. It is powered by an electric propulsion system with multiple 250 Kilowatts Silver Oxide Zinc (AgOZn) batteries. It is capable of achieving a speed of 40 Knots (74 Kms/hr), weighs around 1.25 tons and can carry up to 250 kg of the conventional warhead. It is made of 95% Indigenous contents. The heavyweight torpedo is also being offered for exports.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. AIMPLB vice president Maulana Kalbe Sadiq passes away: Vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Maulana Kalbe Sadiq passed away. He was born in Lucknow and was known for his lectures, mostly during Muharram. He was an educationist, Islamic scholar and ambassador of communal amity. Sadiq was the first to organise a Shia-Sunni namaz in the history of Lucknow. He received his early education from madrasa Sultan ul Madaris. He then moved to Aligarh Muslim University where he obtained a bachelor of arts degree. He later went on to pursue his master’s degree in Arabic literature from the same University. He then secured a doctoral degree from Lucknow University. 

Daily GK Updates – 28th Nov, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Narendra Singh Tomar virtually inaugurates Phagwara mega food park: Union Food Processing Industries Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has virtually inaugurated the Rs 107.83 crore mega food park at Phagwara in Kapurthala district of Punjab. So far, 37 mega food parks have been sanctioned across the country, of which 20 have started functioning. The mega food park, spread over 55 acres of land and that will benefit 25,000 farmers, is equipped with warehouses in 3,944 square meters, silos with 20,000-tonne capacity, cold storage with 3,000-tonne capacity as well as individually quick-frozen and deep freezer units and other facilities.

Note: Chief Minister of Punjab: Capt. Amarinder Singh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore.

 

2. ‘Abhayam’ app for safety of women passengers launched in A.P: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched “Abhayam” mobile phone application which helps women and children travelling in taxis and autorickshaws to raise an alarm in case of any emergency. To start with, 1,000 auto rickshaws equipped with Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled GPS devices would be rolled out in Visakhapatnam city. About 5,000 vehicles would be brought on to the platform by February 1, 50,000 by July 1 and 1 lakh by November 2021 covering Vijayawada and Tirupati and other towns later.

 

3. Cabinet approves Rs 6,000 Crore infusion in NIIF Debt Platform: The Union Cabinet approved equity infusion of Rs 6,000 crore in NIIF Debt Platform sponsored by National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. This was informed by information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar after the Cabinet meeting. The proposal to invest Rs 6,000 crore as equity into NIIF is part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 package announced earlier this month. This would be towards equity support to infrastructure finance companies such as India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL) and a subsidiary of NIIF.

 

4. Mamata Banerjee launches “Government At Doorstep” scheme: From December 1, West Bengal will launch an initiative to take government services to the doorsteps of people. ‘Duare Duare Sarkar’ or government at the doorstep. To run until Gandhi Jayanti on January 30, the initiative will attempt to ship pending companies to folks. From 11 am to 3 pm every day from December 1, government camps will be held in every block in the state where people can come and demand any service they have not received yet.

 

5. NITI Aayog forms panel to study feasibility of Hyperloop technology in India: Government think-tank NITI Aayog has formed a high-level panel to explore the technological and commercial viability of the Virgin Hyperloop technology for ultrahigh speed travel in India, weeks after its first test was completed with humans on board. The committee has NITI Aayog member V.K. Saraswat as its Chairman and Adviser (Infrastructure Connectivity, NITI Aayog) Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha as its convener. Its other members are Railway Board Chairman & CEO V.K. Yadav, the secretaries of the ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs, Road Transport and Highways, and the Maharashtra government’s Transport Secretary.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Chairman, the Delhi Metro’s Managing Director, the IIT-Delhi Director and the Chairman (Technology Information) of the forecasting and assessment council are also its members.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ‘Quarantine’ named Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2020: Cambridge Dictionary has named ‘quarantine’ as Word of the Year 2020. The word has been named the word of the year based on data that showed that it was one of the most highly searched words on the Cambridge Dictionary this year. Cambridge editors have noticed that people are using the word in a new way this year describing a “general period of time in which people are not allowed to leave their homes or travel freely so that they do not catch or spread a disease.” This new sense of quarantine has now been added to the Cambridge Dictionary.

“Quarantine was the only word to rank in the top five for both search spikes and overall views (more than 183,000 by early November), with the largest spike in searches (28,545) seen in the week of March 18-24, when many countries around the world went into lockdown as a result of Covid-19,” as per an official release.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. New Zealand’s Greg Barclay elected new ICC Chairman: Auckland-based commercial lawyer and director of New Zealand Cricket (NZC) since 2012, Greg Barclay has been elected as the new chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), after the second round of voting. Barclay succeeds India’s Shashank Manohar who stepped down in July 2020 and will replace Imran Khwaja, who is currently the interim chairman. He was serving as NZC’s representative on the board of the International Cricket Council and had also served as the director of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015.

Note: CEO of ICC: Manu Sawhney; Headquarters of ICC: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Cabinet approves RBI’s proposal to merge Lakshmi Vilas Bank with DBS Bank: Union Cabinet has approved the merger of capital-starved Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) with DBS Bank India. The Reserve Bank of India on 17 November proposed the merger of the lender with the Indian arm of Singapore’s DBS Bank. The 94-year-old LVB will now cease to exist and its equity completely wiped out. Its deposits will now be on the books of DBS India. Lakshmi Vilas is the second bank to need a rescue this year, and the third collapse of a major deposit-taking institution in 15 months and the first since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of the amalgamation, DBIL will infuse fresh capital of Rs 2,500 crores into LVB. This also marks the first instance when India has turned to a foreign entity to bail out a struggling domestic bank. Under the deal, DBS got 563 branches, 974 ATMs and a $1.6 billion franchise in retail liabilities. Earlier, the RBI had placed LVB under a one-month moratorium till December 16, during which withdrawals for depositors have been capped at Rs 25,000.

About DBS Bank: DBS was the first foreign bank to receive a banking licence after the central bank allowed foreign banks to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2014. “With DBS likely to use digital capabilities to enhance its physical footprint in India, the proposed deal could lead to a 30-40% increase in Indian assets of DBS.

Note: Managing Director & CEO of DBS Bank India Ltd: Surojit Shome; DBS Bank India Limited Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; DBS Bank India Limited Established: 2014.

Lakshmi Vilas Bank Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Lakshmi Vilas Bank Founded: 1926.

 

2. RBI restricts withdrawals from Jalna-based Mantha Urban Coop Bank for 6 months: Reserve Bank of India imposed restrictions on withdrawals from Maharashtra-based Mantha Urban Cooperative Bank for six months. The RBI, in a release, said it has issued certain directions to Mantha Urban Cooperative Bank, Mantha District Jalna, Maharashtra, from the close of business on November 17, 2020. As per the directions, the bank will not, without prior approval of RBI in writing, grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability including borrowal of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits, disburse or agree to disburse any payment, among others.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI Signs Pact With Luxembourg Stock Exchange: State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSe). The MoU will help SBI and LuxSE set up a long-term cooperation mechanism, and promote ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) and green finance. Through this MoU, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange would work towards creating a sustainable environment for issuers, asset managers, and investors in terms of ESG focused funds and bonds.

 

2. India can attract $120-160 billion FDI annually by 2025: CII-EY report: India can expect to attract $120-160 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) annually by 2025 if it manages to increase the FDI to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio between 3-4% from less than 2% now, Confederation of Indian Industry and EY said in a report. This can aid in bringing back India’s GDP growth rate to 7-8% range,” they said in the report titled ‘FDI in India: Now, Next and Beyond’. As per the report, India has observed a GDP growth of 6.8% in the current decade, with FDI to GDP at around 1.8%. The report highlighted that a large untapped opportunity beyond four major states remains to be explored. Four Indian states- Maharashtra (28%), Karnataka (19%), Delhi (16%) and Gujarat (10%)- attracted around 75% of the FDI inflows in the country from October 2019 to June 2020.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Delhi Crime bags Best Drama Series at the International Emmy Awards: The Netflix show, Delhi Crime has won the Best Drama Series award at the 48th International Emmy Awards 2020. Delhi Crime is the first web-series from India to win an International Emmy Award. The show is written and directed by Richie Mehta and features actress Shefali Shah as the main character. The complete list of 2020 International Emmy Awards winners:

Best Drama Series:  Delhi Crime (India)

Best Comedy Series:  Ninguem Ta Olhando (Nobody’s Looking) (Brazil)

Best Actress:  Glenda Jackson, Elizabeth Is Missing (United Kingdom)

Best Actor:  Billy Barratt, Responsible Child (United Kingdom)

Best TV Movie/Mini-Series:  Responsible Child (United Kingdom)

Best Short-Form Series:  #Martyisdead (Czech Republic)

Best Non-English Language US Primetime Program:  20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards and Reina Del Sur – Season 2

Best Telenovela: Orfaos Da Terra (Orphans Of A Nation) (Brazil)

Best Documentary:  For Sama (United Kingdom)

Best Arts Programming:  Vertige De La Chute (Ressaca) (France)

Best Non-Scripted Entertainment:  Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds (Australia)

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Army successfully testfires Land-attack version of BrahMos missile: Indian Army successfully test-fired a land-attack version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands territory. The supersonic cruise missile successfully hit its target, which was on another island.

About BrahMos supersonic cruise missile: The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is the world`s fastest operational system in its class. DRDO has recently extended the range of the missile system from the existing 298 km to around 450 km. Brahmos is a universal long-range supersonic cruise missile system that can be launched from land, sea and air. The missile has been jointly developed by DRDO, India, and NPOM, Russia, through the joint venture BrahMos Aerospace.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Actor VM Badola passes away: Popular actor Varun Badola’s father, Vishwa Mohan Badola (VM Badola) passed away due to age-related issues. He was 84. V M Badola began his career as a journalist but later steered towards performing arts, venturing into theatre in Delhi. He also went on to do more than 400 plays for the national public radio broadcaster All India Radio in his career spanning over five decades. Varun Badola is best known for his appearance in shows such as Koshish – Ek Aashaa, Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, Astitva.. Ek Prem Kahani, among others.

 

2. Football Legend Diego Maradona passes away: One of the greatest footballers of all time, Diego Maradona passed away. He was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, producing a series of sublime individual performances. He was largely responsible for Argentina’s World Cup victory in 1986 in Mexico, scoring two famous goals in one game against England in the quarter-finals. He played for Barcelona and Napoli during his club career, winning two Serie A titles with the Italian side.

Maradona’s most iconic moment was arguably his infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment during Argentina versus England match in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. His second goal in the match is regarded as the “Goal of the Century”.

Daily GK Updates – 27th Nov, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Himachal Pradesh govt launches ‘Him Suraksha Abhiyan’: Himachal Pradesh government has launched ‘Him Suraksha Abhiyan’ to sensitize the people regarding Covid-19 pandemic and also to collect information regarding symptoms of diseases like TB, Leprosy, sugar and blood pressure by the door to door campaign throughout the State. Under this Abhiyan about 8000 teams comprising of Health, Ayurveda, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj Departments, District Administration and NGOs would be involved in this campaign. It would ensure door to door data collection of health parameters of the people.

While launching the program in Shimla, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that not only symptomatic patients with probable Covid-19 would be detected under this campaign but patients with other ailments would also be listed through the campaign. He urged the people of the State to provide wholehearted support to the health workers by providing them accurate information about their diseases and health parameters.

Note: Chief Minister of HP: Jairam Thakur; Governor of HP: Bandaru Dattatraya.

 

2. Bengaluru Tech Summit held digitally: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Karnataka’s flagship annual technology event- 23rd edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020 via video-conferencing. He shared the significance behind the Digital India mission launched by the Centre five years ago. The 3-day summit, to be held at a star hotel in the city centre, focus on innovation and growth in IT and biotechnology (BT), which drive the growth of this tech hub in the southern state. With “Next is Now” as the theme, the summit deliberate on challenges emerging in the post-pandemic world and focus on the impact of technologies and innovations in IT and BT. About 200 Indian tech firms are showcasing their products and technologies in the virtual exhibition.

 

3. “Nivar” in Bay of Bengal intensifies into severe cyclonic storm: The Deep Depression over the South West Bay of Bengal has intensified into the Cyclonic Storm “Nivar”. The cyclone is currently located 410 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 450 km southeast of Chennai. As per the India Meteorological Department, Cyclone Nivar is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24-hours. The storm shall cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry. The impact of the Cyclone shall be faced by the governments of Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Maximum hazard will be caused to Tamil Nadu, which has been placed under ‘red’ (take action) alert. The NDRF has formed 30 teams to launch rescue and relief operations in these states in view of the cyclone “Nivar”.

 

4. Martyrdom Day of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur’: Every year, November 24 is celebrated as Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs of Sikh religion. The day is celebrated as Shaheedi Divas of Guru Tegh Bahadur across the country. It was on 24 November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the sake of people who did not even belong to his community. to protect religion, human values, ideals and principles.

About Guru Tegh Bahadur: Guru Tegh Bahadur’s term as Guru ran from 1665 to 1675. In the Guru Granth Sahib, there are one hundred and fifteen hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Guru Tegh Bahadur is remembered for his selfless service to people. He travelled across the country with the teachings of Guru Nanak – the first Sikh Guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur had set up community kitchens and wells for the local people wherever he went. Anandpur Sahib, the famous holy city and a global tourist attraction in the foothills of Himalayas, was founded by Guru Tegh Bahadur.

 

5. AAI observes Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2020: Airports Authority of India (AAI) is observing the Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2020 from 23 November to 27 November 2020. The week-long celebration is being observed at all airports and ANS locations managed by AAI across India. Airport Directors will be organizing awareness programme in school/colleges on the role of local residents in aviation safety to make people of the surrounding community aware of their role in ensuring the safety of aircraft operating in the local airport. The Ministry of Civil Aviation aims to achieve long term objective of Zero fatality by the year 2030 as envisaged by ICAO in its Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP-2020-22) through better managed safety systems of stakeholders.

Note: Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri.

Airports Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi; Airports Authority of India Founded: 1 April 1995; Airports Authority of India Chairman: Arvind Singh.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India announces over 100 high-impact projects for Afghanistan: The 2020 Afghanistan Conference was organized in Geneva from 23-24 November 2020 virtually. The External Affairs Minister of India, Dr S. Jaishankar led the Indian delegation at the conference. The Conference was co-hosted by the United Nations, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and the Government of Finland.

India announced a slew of new development projects for Afghanistan during the conference, which includes: Construction of the Shatoot Dam, which would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city. This dam will be built on the 202-kilometre Phul-e-Khumri transmission line, which was built by India in 2019 to provide electricity to Kabul city. India has introduced a brand new section of over 100 high-impact neighbourhood initiatives in Afghanistan value USD 80 million (Rs 592 crore) because the nation’s growth portfolio within the war-ravaged nation has reached over USD three billion (Rs 22,200 crore) to this point.

Note: Afghanistan Capital: Kabul; Afghanistan President: Ashraf Ghani; Afghanistan Currency: Afghan afghani; Afghanistan Official languages: Pashto, Dari.

 

2. China launches historic “Chang’e-5” mission to Collect Lunar Samples: China has launched a historic mission ‘Chang’e 5‘ to the moon to collect ‘first lunar samples’. The mission aims at the investigation of the landing area to obtain the on-site analysis data related to the lunar samples, as well as systematic and long-term laboratory analysis of the lunar samples. It is the world’s first moon-sample mission in more than 40 years. Till date, only two nations, the US and the Soviet Union have been able to collect the lunar sample. The last mission was undertaken by Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission in 1976.

About the Mission: The spacecraft “Chang’e-5” was launched on China’s indigenous Long March-5 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan province. This is China’s first attempt to retrieve samples from an extraterrestrial body. China’s spacecraft will collect and return samples from the moon. If successful, China will become the only third nation to have collected the lunar sample.

 

3. SpaceX, NASA, ESA launch Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched an advanced ocean-mapping satellite into orbit for NASA and the European Space Agency in a stunning morning launch from California. The launch marked SpaceX’s SpaceX 22nd Falcon 9 this year. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is named for Michael Freilich, the former head of NASA’s Earth science division who died of cancer in August. This $97 million satellite is the first in what will be a pair of identical ocean-focused satellites; the next, Sentinel-6B, will launch in 2025. With the data collected by Sentinel-6, scientists around the world will be able to make higher-resolution observations of the ocean much closer to shore.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Kotak Mutual Fund launches Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund: Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company has launched Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund. The New Fund Offer (NFO) of the scheme will close for subscription on December 4. The fund will focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and the Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI). KMAMC is the first asset management company to sign the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI). Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund will be managed by Harsha Upadhyaya. The scheme will invest in companies based on financial parameters and non-financial factors such as Environmental, Social and Governance as a part of its research process to identify material risks and growth opportunities.

 

2. NABARD sanctions RS 74.31 crore for Meghalaya roads: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned over Rs 74 crore for the construction of 6 new roads and improvement of 24 existing roads in Meghalaya. Under this sanction, 22 village roads, 6 other district roads and 2 major district roads will be covered which are proposed to be completed within three years.

 

3. RBI panel recommends raising promoters cap to 26% in private banks: A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) panel has recommended raising the cap on promoter shareholding in private sector banks to 26 per cent of the paid up equity after 15 years of operation from 15 per cent. The panel has also proposed that large corporates may be permitted to promote banks after necessary amendments to the Banking Regulations Act. The committee, led by PK Mohanty, has also proposed converting of payments banks into a small finance bank. For this, the track record of 3 years of experience as payments bank may be considered as sufficient. As per the report, small finance banks and payments banks may be listed within ‘6 years from the date of reaching net worth equivalent to prevalent entry capital requirement prescribed for universal banks’ or ’10 years from the date of commencement of operations’, whichever is earlier.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Karnataka aims to become a $50-bn bio-economy by 2025: The Karnataka government announced that it has set a target to become a USD 50 billion biotechnology market by 2025, contributing to half of the national bio-economy projected to be achieved by then. The government released its first draft of the Bio-economy Report 2020 at the Bengaluru Tech Summit, highlighting achievements and earmarking targets for the next five years. The report also claims that the same has grown by 14-17 per cent in the previous two years and that the state contributes 10.3 per cent to the gross state domestic product (GSDP) of USD 221.82 billion. While the report estimates the bio-economy of the state at USD 22.6 billion (Rs 1,67,240 crores) and growing at present, it is projected to USD 42 billion by 2025.

 

2. FICCI FLO inks pact with IESC, IIM Shillong to mentor women entrepreneurs: FLO, the women wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said it has signed an agreement with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong and Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre (IESC) to mentor entrepreneurs. Under this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), FICCI FLO, IESC and IIM Shillong will jointly provide guidance and mentor entrepreneurs by facilitating a nurturing, instructive and supportive environment during the initial and critical stages of starting a business, thus enabling them to reduce the initial startup costs and establish themselves in a shorter timeframe.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve gets global award for doubling tiger population: The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and the Uttar Pradesh Forest department have bagged the first-ever international award, “TX2” for doubling the number of tigers in four years against a target of 10 years. TX2 stands for ‘Tigers times two’, signalling the goal to double wild tigers. In 2014, PTR had 25 tigers which went up to 65 in 2018. PTR is the first to receive the award among all the 13 tiger range countries. (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.) It achieved the goal of doubling the tiger’s population in just four years, against the target of 10 years.  The award was virtually presented to the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) of the state, Sunil Pandey, by UNDP’s (United Nations Development Program) head of ecosystems and biodiversity, Mindori Paxton.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Congress veteran Ahmed Patel passes away: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Ahmed Patel passed away. He was Lok Sabha MP for three terms from 1977 to 1989 and Rajya Sabha MP since 1993 representing Gujarat. He also served as the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and was one of the party’s top negotiators during the UPA regime.

 

2. Veteran TV actor Ashiesh Roy passes away: Television actor Ashiesh Roy has passed away. The actor had appeared in a number of TV shows and films in his long acting career which began in 1997. Some of his famous television shows include Movers & Shakers, Yes Boss, Remix, Baa Bahoo Aur Baby, Chaldi Da Naam Gaddi, Burey Bhi Hum Bhale Bhi Hum, Sasural Simar Ka, Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi, Mere Angne Mein, Aarambh. He was also a voice actor who has been dubbing for foreign films.