Daily GK Updates – 10th Dec, 2020

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi Inaugurates virtual India Mobile Congress 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and addressed the virtual edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2020 on 8th December 2020 through video conference. The objective of IMC 2020 is to align with the Prime Minister’s vision to promote ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Digital Inclusivity’, and ‘Sustainable development, entrepreneurship & innovation’ and drive foreign and local investments, encourage R&D in the telecom and emerging technology sectors. The theme for IMC 2020 is “Inclusive Innovation – Smart, Secure, Sustainable”. The three-day event held from 8th to 10th December 2020. IMC 2020 has been organised by the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

 

2. NTPC inks MoU with IIFM-Bhopal for Narmada Landscape Restoration Project: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), a PSU under Ministry of Power, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, for the implementation of Narmada Landscape Restoration Project (NLRP). IIFM Bhopal is an Autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

About the Narmada Landscape Restoration Project: The NLRP Project involves a grant in aid from NTPC Ltd and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in equal proportions. IIFM-Bhopal will be jointly implementing this project with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) [Headquarter-Seoul, South Korea], an intergovernmental organization that promotes sustainable and inclusive economic growth in emerging economies. IIFM Bhopal will participate in the project with the grant-in-aid from NTPC, Ltd and GGGI will participate with funding support from USAID.

Note: NTPC Founded: 1975; NTPC Headquarters: New Delhi, India; Director of IIFM: Pankaj Srivastava.

 

3. Gwalior, Orchha in UNESCO world heritage cities list: The historical fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh have been included in the list of UNESCO’s world heritage cities under its The World Heritage Cities Programme. Under the plan, UNESCO will suggest best measures and resources for the development and beautification of these places as per the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape recommendations. With this Inclusion, the total number of UNESCO World Heritage Cities of India will increase to 40. The inclusion will lead to the beautification of both cities by the MP Tourism Department in collaboration with UNESCO. In this regard, UNESCO team will visit the state in 2021 and will prepare a master plan for their development and conservation under the Historic Urban Landscape recommendation. Chemical treatment of historic spots like Mansingh Palace, Gujri Mahal and Sahastrabahu Temple will also be done so that art inscribed on them will become more visible.

About Gwalior: The famous spots include Sun Temple, Jal Vilas Palace, Memorial of Tansen, Tigra Dam, 15th-century Gujari Mahal Palace among others.

About Orchha: The famous spots in the town are Raj Mahal, Jehangir Mahal, Ramraja Temple, Rai Praveen Mahal, and Laxminarayan Mandir.

Note: UNESCO World Heritage Centre Director: Mechtild Rossler; UNESCO World Heritage Centre Headquarter: Paris, France.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Ranks 10th in the Climate Change Performance Index 2021: India is ranked at 10th place in the ‘Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021’, released on 7th December 2020. The overall score of India is 63.98. It is for the second time in a row that India emerged among the top 10 countries with higher climate performance from among 58 economies. India was at 9th spot last year in the index.

Like CCPI 2020, the first three places in 2021 ranking also remains unoccupied, since none of the countries is on the path compatible with the Paris climate targets, to implement strategies to limit global warming below 2 or even 1.5°C. Sweden (4th) United Kingdom (5th), Denmark (6th), Morocco (7th), Norway (8th), Chile (9th) were among the top 10 rankers in the index. It was also noted that, from the G20 countries, only the EU as a whole, along with the UK and India, ranked among high performers.

 

2. World Human Rights Day: 10th December: Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December annually across the world. This Day came into existence on December 10, 1948, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations. This day is observed every year across the world, as it empowers us all. The day also acknowledges the advocates and defenders of human rights around the world. This year theme of Human Rights Day: Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights. This year theme relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts.

About the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth or another status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Jehan Daruvala becomes first Indian to win F2 race: Jehan Daruvala created history, as he became the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Bahrain. This was the final race of the F2 season. The Formula 2 Championship is a second-tier single-seater racing championship. The 22-year-old Jehan Daruvala is currently a member of the Red Bull Junior Team and competes for Carlin Motorsport. His Japanese teammate, Yuki Tsunoda came second while Britain’s Daniel Ticktum was in a third spot. Racing legend Michael Schumacher’s son Mick Schumacher was crowned as the overall F2 champion of the season.

 

2. Sri Lanka to host Asia Cup in 2021: Sri Lanka will host the Asia Cup in June 2021 while Pakistan has earned the rights to host the tournament in 2022. As per the original schedule, the tournament was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan in 2020, however, it got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the event has been moved forward to June 2021, with Sri Lanka Cricket taking the hosting rights from PCB. As compensation, PCB has got the hosting rights for the 2022 edition.

 

3. Sergio Perez wins Sakhir Grand Prix 2020: Sergio Perez (Mexico-Racing Point-BWT Mercedes), won the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Esteban Ocon (Renault-France) secured the second position, followed by and Lance Stroll (Racing Point-BWT Mercedes-Canada) at third place. The race was the maiden edition of the Sakhir Grand Prix and sixteenth race of the 2020 Formula One World Championship. This is the first Formula One win for Perez. He is also the first Mexican Formula One driver to win a race since Pedro Rodríguez won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank Launches iMobile Pay to offer Payments: The private lender ICICI Bank has launched a new version of its mobile payment app called iMobile Pay, to offer payment and banking services to customers of any bank. The latest version of the app is interoperable and will now allow payments and other banking services to even those customers who do not hold an ICICI Bank account.

About “iMobile Pay”: Using the app, the customers of other banks can link their bank account, generate a UPI ID and start paying, shopping, transfer funds to any bank account or to any other payment apps or digital wallets; or bill payments and online recharges, among others.

It also offers instant banking services such as savings account, investments, loans, credit cards, gift cards, and travel cards, among others.

Note: ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka.

 

2. RBI increases limit for Processing of e-mandates for recurring transactions on card transactions: The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit for processing e-mandates / standing instructions on cards and Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) and UPI for recurring transactions without the need of Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA) from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000. The new limit of Rs 5,000/- per transaction will come into effect from January 1, 2021.

 

3. RBI enhances limit for Card transactions in Contactless mode to Rs 5000: The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit allowed for Card transactions in Contactless mode from Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 without the need of an Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA). Transactions beyond this limit can be processed in contactless mode, but with AFA like OTP. This will come into force from January 01, 2021.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Centre Launches QRMP scheme for GST payers: The Central Government has launched ‘Quarterly Return filing & Monthly Payment of Taxes (QRMP)’ scheme for small taxpayers under the GST system. Taxpayers with an aggregate annual turnover of up to Rs 5 crore in the preceding financial year and have filed their October GSTR-3B (sales) return by November 30, 2020, are eligible for this scheme. The notifications for the same were issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

About QRMP Scheme: Persons with aggregate turnover up to Rs 5 crore would be allowed to furnish their GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns on a quarterly basis, beginning January-March quarter of 2020-21. Quarterly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B can also be filed through an SMS. Taxpayers can also make GST payments every month, through challan, with effect from January 1, 2021. This can be done either by self-assessment of monthly liability or 35% of net cash liability of previous filed GSTR-3B of the quarter.

Note: CBIC Chairman: M. Ajit Kumar; CBIC Parent Ministry: Ministry of Finance.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. ICAR wins 2020 King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has won the prestigious International King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award for 2020. The award was presented annually by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The award was conferred to the ICAR on the occasion of World Soil Day, on December 5. ICAR India will officially receive the award by Her Royal Highness, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, during an event in Bangkok in January 2021.

ICAR has been conferred the award for its commitment to raising awareness of the importance of healthy soils at the World Soil Day celebration in 2019, which addressed soil erosion under the motto “Stop soil erosion, save our future”. The programme was organised by Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Soil Science, an autonomous institute for higher learning, established under the umbrella of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

About the award: The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award was launched in 2018, to acknowledge individuals or institutions that raise public awareness of soils by organising successful and influential World Soil Day celebrations. The award is sponsored by the Kingdom of Thailand.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

2. Raj Kamal Jha wins Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize: Journalist-author, Raj Kamal Jha has won the 3rd Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for his novel, “The City and The Sea”. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winner of the $5,000 prize was announced online in Copenhagen, Denmark. Jha’s book, which is based on the December 2012 Nirbhaya rape and murder case, was chosen from ten shortlisted books including Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island, Nirmala Govindarajan’s Taboo and Ranjit Hoskote’s Jonahwhale.

Other winners: The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for Social Achievement 2020 was conferred to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the late Sultan of Oman and The People of Oman and Renowned Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar for his contribution to the betterment of society through his initiative Dance for a Cause.

About the Prize: The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was founded in 2018 by US-based publisher Bundalo as a platform for world peace, literature, art, education and human rights. Last year, the award also recognises works towards human rights and world peace with the Social Achievement Prize.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. All India Radio writer Madhukar Gangadhar passes away: Eminent Hindi writer, Madhukar Gangadhar passed away. He was the lead storyteller of the new story movement. He was an associate of Renuji in Patna Akashvani, director of All India Radio in Allahabad & Deputy Director General at Delhi AIR. After serving for 39 years in All India Radio (AIR) he became an independent writer based in Delhi. ‘Motiyo Wale Hath’, ‘Hirna Ki Aankhen’ are some of his most well-known works.

Note: AIR since 1957 as Akashvani; it was established in 1936.

Daily GK Updates – 9th Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi virtually inaugurates Construction work of Agra Metro project: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the construction work of the Agra Metro project in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The Agra Metro project comprises 2 corridors with a total length of 29.4 km. It would connect major tourist attractions like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra with railway stations and bus stands.

About the Project: The estimated cost of the project will be around Rs 8,379.62 crore. It will be completed in 5 years. The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has set the target to complete the first phase of the Agra Metro Rail Project by December 2022. Once operational, the project will boost `Ease of Living` of the 26 lakh population of the city and also cater to more than 60 lakh tourists who visit Agra every year. It will also provide an environment-friendly Mass Rapid Transit System to the city.

 

2. ADB approves $190 million loan to upgrade power distribution in Bengaluru: The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $190 million (approx Rs 1,400 crore) to modernize and upgrade the power distribution system in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The financial-assistance by ADB will be used for the Bengaluru Smart Energy Efficient Power Distribution Project. The $190 million loan includes a $100 million sovereign loan and a $90 million non-sovereign guarantee loan to Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). BESCOM is one of five state-owned distribution utilities and the largest in Karnataka. This combination of sovereign and non-sovereign loans is being deployed by ADB in India on a pilot basis for the first time.

Note: President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa; Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.

 

3. Meghalaya CM Unveils State Disability Logo, Launches Meghalaya Sign Bank App: In Meghalaya, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed with a formal function held at Yojna Bhawan Auditorium, Shillong. The theme this year is building back better towards a disability inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-Covid 19 world. During the function the Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma,unveiled the State Disability Logo. The second edition of the Meghalaya Sign Bank App was also launched by the Chief Minister. The app is available for both ios and android users. Two students with disabilities were also felicitated for their outstanding achievements by Chief Guest Sangma and Social Welfare Minister Kyrmen Shylla

 

4. Pixxel to launch remote-sensing satellite on ISRO rocket: The Bengaluru-based space-technology start-up “Pixxel”, has signed a pact with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch its first remote-sensing satellite on Isro’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket in early 2021. Earlier, the startup had planned to launch this satellite towards the end of 2020 and on a Russian Soyuz rocket. Pixxel aims to put a constellation of 30 earth observation micro-satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit by mid-2023. The data through these satellites will help in various sectors, ranging from agriculture to urban monitoring, such as track on air and water pollution levels, forest biodiversity and health, coastal and marine health, and changes in the urban landscape.

About the agreement: The agreement was signed between Pixxel with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under the Department of Space. This agreement with NSIL is the first-of-a-kind private earth-observation mission and one of the first since the setting up of IN-SPACe, the authorisation and regulatory body under the Department of Space (DoS) to enable private players undertaking space activities in India.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K. Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Anil Soni appointed first CEO of The WHO Foundation: US-based Indian-origin health expert, Anil Soni has been appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly-created “The World Health Organization (WHO) Foundation”. Before this, he was working with Viatris, a global healthcare company in the US, where he served as Head of Global Infectious Diseases. He will assume his role as CEO with effect from 1st January 2021.

About the WHO Foundation: The WHO Foundation was launched in May 2020 as an independent grant-making agency, based in Geneva, Switzerland, to work alongside the WHO and the global health community to address the most pressing global health challenges.

Note: Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; Director-general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.

 

2. International Anti-Corruption Day: 9th December: International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on 9 December to raise public awareness for anti-corruption. The day is observed since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003. The theme of International Anti-Corruption Day 2020: ‘RECOVER with INTEGRITY.’ The theme focuses on recovery through corruption mitigation and emphasizes that inclusive COVID-19 recovery can only be achieved with integrity.

 

3. International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime: 9th December: The International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is observed annually on December 9. The 9th of December is the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”). This year marks the 71st anniversary of the Convention. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson retires from all forms of Cricket: New Zealand all-rounder, Corey Anderson has announced his retirement from international cricket. Anderson has played 13 Tests, 49 ODIs and 31 T20Is for New Zealand, scoring 2277 runs with two hundred and 10 half-centuries and 90 wickets. Anderson has signed a 3-year contract with Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA, where he will serve in the Major and Minor League Cricket and coaching ventures at the cricket academies that come under the MLC.

Some facts about Anderson: Anderson rose to fame after scoring fastest 100 in the history of One Day International cricket (ODI), in 36-ball against West Indies in January 2014. However, this record was broken by AB de Villiers, in January 2015 who scored the fastest ODI century against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 31 balls.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. PNB launches loan management solution ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’: Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a tech-based loan management solution ‘LenS-The Lending Solution’, to speed up and maintain accuracy in online loan processing and sanctioning of credit proposals. It is envisaged to be implemented in a phased manner for all kinds of loans. Under the Mudra scheme, the processing and sanction of credit proposals up to Rs 10 lakh including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSME) loans (fresh, renewal, enhancement and review) will be done by LenS.

Main Purpose of PNB LenS: To standardise the system, process and assess formats for credit processing; To auto-generate the loan documents for each type of credit facilities; To reduce delay, cost and human errors involved in manual processing, digital record maintenance, security & data privacy; Ready to use monitoring and MIS reports for better tracking and transparency.

Note: PNB Headquarters: New Delhi; PNB CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao.

 

2. RTGS system to be available on 24×7 basis from December 14: The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system will be made available round the clock on all days of the year with effect from 00:30 hours on December 14, 2020. Presently RTGS system is available for customers between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

RTGS shall continue to be governed by the RTGS System Regulations, 2013. RTGS shall be available for customer and inter-bank transactions round the clock, except for the interval between ‘end-of-day’ and ‘start-of-day’ processes, whose timings would be duly broadcasted through the RTGS system. Intra-Day Liquidity (IDL) facility shall be made available to facilitate smooth operations.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Finin launches as neobank in India in partnership with SBM: Finin, a fintech company, has launched itself as a ‘neobank’, in partnership with SBM Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Bank of Mauritius in India, focussing on saving rather than lending. It will provide features such as detailed break-up of user spending and send prompts if they exceed pre-set limits and automatic sweeps of money into liquid funds. The bank will target white-collar workers and freelancers and has waiting list of 15,000 people before launch. It aims to open 50,000 accounts in six months.

 

2. HDFC Life stands with Dabbawalas of Mumbai with ‘PromiseWalaDabba’ Campaign: In support of Mumbai’s Dabbawalas, HDFC Life in association with Ketto India has initiated #PromisewalaDabba, a nationwide crowdfunding campaign. #PromiseWalaDabba has been initiated by the insurance company for supporting the community, with an aim to help the Dabbawalas of Mumbai stand on their feet once again with a month’s supply of ration, delivered to their homes. Ketto, India’s foremost crowdfunding platform has also partnered with HDFC Life as part of the campaign in order to serve as a platform to raise money for this cause.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Serum Institute’s Adar Poonawalla named as 1 of 6 “Asians of The Year”: Adar Poonawalla, the Chief Executive of the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), has been named among six “The Straits Times Asians of the Year” for 2020, by Singapore’s leading daily, The Straits Times, for their work in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. SII has collaborated with the University of Oxford and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to develop COVID-19 vaccine, ‘Covidshield’, and is conducting trials in India.

The other five Asians of the Year includes: (1) Chinese researcher Zhang Yongzhen; (2) China’s Major-General Chen Wei; (3) Japan’s Dr Ryuichi Morishita; (4) Singapore’s Professor Ooi Eng Eong; (5) South Korean businessman Seo Jung-jin.

The Straits Times has collectively referred these 6 winners as “the virus busters”, because they are heroes of a kind, having devoted themselves to the pressing cause of resolving the coronavirus pandemic, each in their own capacity.

Note: The SII was founded by Cyrus Poonawalla (Adar Poonawalla’s father) in 1966.

Adar Poonawalla joined the Serum Institute of India in 2001 and became the CEO of the company in 2011.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Father of Fibre Optics Narinder Singh Kapany passes away: Narinder Singh Kapany, also known as the father of fibre optics, passed away. The India-born American physicist was named as one of the seven “Unsung Heroes” by Fortune in their ‘Businessmen of the Century’ issue of November 1999. Kapany was the first to transmit images through fibre optics back in 1954 and laid the foundation for high-speed internet technology. He not only founded fibre optics but also used his own invention for the business. He founded the Optics Technology Incorporation and Kaptron Incorporation in 1960 and 1973 respectively. He studied at Agra University and then moved to Imperial College in London. He received his PhD from the University of London in 1955.

Awards: He received ‘The Excellence 2000 Award’ from the USA Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce in 1998, a fellow of numerous scientific societies including the British Royal Academy of Engineering, the Optical Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

 

2. Veteran Bengali actor Manu Mukherjee passes away: Veteran Bengali actor Manu Mukherjee passed away. He started his film career with Mrinal Sen’s Nil Akasher Niche (1958). The actor is best remembered for his roles in Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath and Ganashatru. He had also been part of children’s fantasy film Patalghar’.

 

3. Veteran Marathi actor Ravi Patwardhan passes away: Ravi Patwardhan, a popular face in Marathi entertainment industry, has passed away. The veteran actor became a household name for his role in Marathi TV series Agabai Sasubai. Apart from this, Patwardhan has also starred in a few Hindi movies namely Tezab, Jhanjaar, Bond and Yeshwant.

 

4. Pizza Hut co-founder Frank Carney passes away: American entrepreneur Frank Carney, who along with his brother Dan, started the Pizza Hut empire in the US city of Wichita, has passed away from pneumonia. He was 82. Carney had recently recovered from Covid-19, but had Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade and pneumonia is common in Alzheimer’s patients.

Daily GK Updates – 8th Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt Forms Task Force to Impart Technical Education in Mother Tongue: In an effort to bring major changes in technical education, the Ministry of Education under the leadership of Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has set up a task force for preparing a roadmap on imparting technical education in Mother Tongue. As per updates, the task force set up under the chairmanship of Amit Khare, Secretary of Higher Education Department, will take into consideration the suggestions made by various stakeholders and will submit a report in a month.

 

2. Madhya Pradesh Aims to completely eliminate AIDS by 2030: Madhya Pradesh did not see a significant increase in the number of HIV patients in the last two years. As per Union health ministry report issued this September 20, the state reported 0.59 lakh patients in 2018 and the government aims to completely eliminate AIDS by 2030. The highest number 12 thousand 773 patients reported in Indore. Bhopal is at number two with more than 7 thousand patients. Jabalpur has around 6 thousand patients while Gwalior has more than 3 thousand HIV patients. The highest 68 percent HIV infected people belong to the age group of 25 to 49 years.

 

3. V. Naidu virtually releases postage stamp in former PM IK Gujral’s honour: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has virtually released a commemorative Postage Stamp in honour of the late Prime Minister of India & Freedom Fighter, I K Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral). I K Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of India, he served as the Prime Minister from April 1997-March 1998. He was born in Jhelum (now in Pakistan) in 1919. During his tenure as India’s External Affairs Minister, I K Gujral laid a set of five principles – ‘Gujral Doctrine’ to guide the conduct of foreign relations with India’s immediate neighbours. He passed away in 2012 due to a lung infection.

 

4. Vice President releases a book on Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has released the book titled “40 Years with Abdul Kalam- Untold Stories”, a book on the life of the former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The book was authored by Dr A.Sivathanu Pillai. The book is published by Pentagon Press LLP and the foreword was written by Pranab Mukherjee, former president of India.

About the book: The book provided a first-hand account of the life of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who was described as the epitome of simplicity, honesty and wisdom. Dr. Kalam strengthened the Defence sector of India and contributed to the development of India’s space capabilities. The book discusses his life events including the events at ISRO, DRDO and BrahMos and his interaction with the power corridors

About Dr A. Sivathanu Pillai: Dr A. Sivathanu Pillai has assisted Dr Vikram Sarabhai during the evolution of the ten-year space profiles and worked with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV3) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) configuration design and with Prof. Satish Dhawan in the study of future ISRO launch vehicles and missions.

 

5. Rajnish K Jenaw posted as CMD, NSFDC: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Rajnish Kumar Jenaw (IP&TA&FS) as new Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development Corporation (NSFDC) under the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. Jenaw has been appointed to the post with effect from the date of assumption of charge and for a period up-to August 31, 2024, i.e. date of his superannuation or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He is a 1992-batch Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service officer.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China becomes second nation to plant flag on the Moon: China has become the second country in the world to unfurl its national flag on the moon surface. Earlier this feat was achieved only by the USA when it planted its flag on the Moon during the Apollo mission in 1969. China achieved the historic feat when ‘Chang’e 5‘ probe of China, which was launched to collect soil and rock samples of the lunar surface, took off from the moon to return to earth after planting the national flag on 3rd December 2020.

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

 

2. Britain becomes first country in world to approve coronavirus vaccine: In a historic move, Britain has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine will be rolled out from next week onwards. Priority for vaccination will be given to healthcare workers and care home residents.

 

3. Indian oil Chairman Shri SM Vaidya taken charge as VP of the World LPG Association: Shri SM Vaidya is appointed as the first Vice President of the World LPG Association (WLPGA). The World LPG Association (WLPGA) is the authoritative voice of the global LPG industry representing the full LPG value chain. Shri SM Vaidya currently is the Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. FIFA extends 7-team Club World Cup to 2021; Japan to host: Japan was chosen to host a traditional, seven-team Club World Cup in December 2021. FIFA wanted a December 2020 edition in Qatar to be the last with seven teams, six continental champions and the host nation’s domestic league winner. The format often attracts little interest and is routinely won by the European club.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Paytm partners with Suryoday Small Finance Bank to empower MSMEs with instant digital loans: Paytm has announced its partnership with Suryoday Small Finance Bank to empower MSMEs with instant digital loans. The company is offering instant microloans to businesses that are unable to access financial services from traditional banking players. The company through this partnership is aiming at disbursing loans to over 1 lakh small businesses in the next 12 to 18 months.

 

2. NABARD and SBI sign MoU to extend concessional refinance facility in Karnataka: The Karnataka regional office of NABARD and State Bank of India have signed an MoU to extend concessional refinance facility to the beneficiaries of watershed development and tribal development projects. The MoU aims to benefit 45000 beneficiaries from 260 Farmers Producers Organisations in 28 districts. In addition 8500 beneficiaries from Self Help groups and Joint Liability Groups will be covered. The MoU signed will enable SBI to act as an implementing agency for digitilising the Self Help Groups and uploading data on E-Shakti portal across the state.

 

3. ICICI Bank Opens Representative Office in Nepal, First Pvt Sector Lender to do so: ICICI Bank opened its representative office in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. The representative office will closely work with the domestic banks in Nepal to facilitate investment, trade, payments and treasury business between the two countries. With this foray, ICICI Bank has expanded its footprint to 15 countries, including India.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. RBI Projects 6.8% Retail Inflation in December Quarter: The Reserve Bank of India said retail inflation is likely to remain elevated and pegged it at 6.8 per cent for the third quarter of the current fiscal. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is of the view that inflation is likely to remain elevated, barring transient relief in the winter months from prices of perishables

 

2. India Economy Likely to Contract by 10% in FY21, Says Former Planning Commission Member Abhijit Sen: India’s economy is likely to contract by around 10 per cent in the current fiscal, eminent economist and former Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen said. Sen, also an expert on issues related to agriculture, further said that the government would not be able to double farmers’ income by 2022.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Ranjitsinh Disale becomes 1st Indian to win 2020 Global Teacher Prize: Ranjitsinh Disale, a government teacher from Zilla Parishad Primary School, in Paritewadi village, Solapur district of Maharashtra, has won the 2020 Global Teacher Prize. He is the first Indian to win this award, which carries prize money of $1 million (Rs 7.4 crore).

The 32-year-old has won the annual Global Teacher Prize 2020 in recognition of his efforts to promote girls’ education in his village and trigger a quick-response (QR) coded textbook revolution in India. He made efforts and added QR codes to textbooks of primary classes to provide links to audio poems, video lectures, stories and assignments. He also worked towards education for girls and teaching people about the ill-effects of teenage marriage and even helped to achieve 100% attendance of girls.

Ranjitsinh has also created history by announcing to share half the prize money with the nine finalists from across the world for the award, where each one will receive about $55,000 each. He also becomes the first winner to share the prize money with the finalists.

About the Global Teacher Prize: The Global Teacher Prize is an annual prize founded by the Varkey Foundation in 2014 to recognise an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession. The award is given in partnership with UNESCO.

Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

 

2. Gitanjali Rao becomes 1st-ever TIME’s “Kid of The Year”: The Indian-American young scientist and inventor, Gitanjali Rao, has been named as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by the iconic TIME magazine. This is the first time that the TIME magazine has launched the Kid of The Year” award.

About Gitanjali Rao: The 15-year-old Gitanjali Rao was chosen from among more than 5,000 nominees, for her “astonishing work” using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying. She has created applications named ‘Kindly’ to help people, especially kids, fight opioid addiction and cyberbullying. TIME magazine had partnered with Nickelodeon and searched social media and school districts across the country to shortlist the most influential child of 2020.

Note: TIME magazine Headquarters: United States; TIME magazine Editor: Edward Felsenthal; TIME magazine First issue date: 3 March 1923.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. PASSEX conducted by Indian Navy and Russian Navy: The Indian Navy (IN) and the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) are undertaking Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The exercise will help in enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices between both the friendly navies. It involves advanced surface and anti-submarine warfare exercises, weapon firings, seamanship exercises and helicopter operations.

Indian Navy is being represented by indigenously constructed guided-missile frigate Shivalik and anti-submarine corvette Kadmatt along with integral helicopters. Russian Federation Navy includes guided-missile cruiser Varyag, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev and medium ocean tanker Pechenga. The PASSEX’s are conducted regularly by Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Lakshadweep Administrator Dineshwar Sharma passes away: Lakshadweep Administrator, Dineshwar Sharma passed away. He was earlier headed the Intelligence Bureau and was also the Interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir. The 66-year-old retired IPS officer of the Kerala cadre had been appointed administrator of the Lakshadweep Union Territory in October 2019. He was assistant director in the IB in Kashmir between 1994 and 1996 and then went on to serve on the Kashmir desk of the bureau in the national capital.

Daily GK Updates – 7th Dec, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Majerhat Bridge named “Jai Hind” to Mark Netaji’s 125th Birth Anniversary: West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee named the newly built “Majerhat bridge” in Kolkata as ‘Jai Hind’ bridge to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose. The new bridge has been built in the place of an old one which collapsed in September 2018. It is 650-metres long and connects the Central part of Kolkata to the Southwestern suburbs of Behala and others.

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

 

2. ADB approves $430 million financing facility to improve power supply in Uttar Pradesh: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 430 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) to improve the quality and reliability of electricity supply in Uttar Pradesh in India. The Uttar Pradesh Power Distribution Network Rehabilitation Project will improve efficiency and sustainability of power supply in the state. The project will finance the conversion of 65,000 km rural low-voltage distribution lines from bare conductors to aerial bundle conductors to benefit an estimated 70 million people in 46,000 rural villages. It will also finance construction of a parallel network of 11 kV feeders with a total length of 17,000 km to separate distribution of electricity between residential consumers and agriculture consumers.

 

3. Kuldeep Handoo appointed as “Fit India” movement ambassador: Srinagar born Wushu coach and the first Dronacharya Awardee from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Kuldeep Handoo is appointed as the Ambassador of Fit India movement. He won 11 gold medals in National and 6 in International stage, is the Wushu coach of Team India. Under his guidance Athletes have won two gold medals at the world championship and one at the World Cup. He also serves as Inspector of police in Jammu and Kashmir.

Other Awards: Jammu and Kashmir Police medal award, for meritorious service; The Parshuram Award, an honour of sports in the state of Himachal Pradesh

About Fit India movement: Fit India movement was launched in August 2019, to encourage Indians to include fitness activities and sports in their daily lives to pave the way for a healthy and fit lifestyle.

Note: Founder of FIT India: Suparno Satpathy.

                         

4. Assam govt launches ‘Orunodoi’ scheme: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowalon launched the biggest-ever Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme called ‘Orunodoi’, aiming to cover 22 lakh families in the state. The scheme has been rolled out with 17 lakh families as beneficiaries at present. The government said that it will transfer Rs 830 per month to the account of one of the female members of the family under the ‘Orunodoi’ scheme. The number of beneficiaries will increase to about 22 lakh once the BTC districts are also included.

 

5. Assam set to get its sixth national park: An Assam reserve forest, ravaged by militancy, is set to become the state’s sixth national park. The state government has proposed to upgrade the 422-sq km Ripu Reserve Forest in Kokrajhar district. The area of proposed Raimona National Park lies within the Ripu Reserve Forest that has a history of one of the best scientifically-managed forests in the country during the late 19th century. The area comprises the highest biodiverse floristic composition of the state wherein as many as 11 different forest types and sub-types could be classified.

 

6. Armed Forces Flag Day: 7th December: In India, the Armed Forces Flag Day (also known as the Flag Day of India) is observed annually on December 7 since 1949 as an honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of India who fought on the borders to keep the country safe. The three branches of the Armed Forces of India, namely, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy are remembered on this day. The ‘Armed forces Flag Day Fund’ (AFFDF) has been constituted by the Government of India for the welfare and rehabilitation of the Ex-Servicemen (ESM) community.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Bangladesh signs maiden Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA): Bangladesh has signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan, which will allow duty-free access to a range of goods between the two countries and hence boost bilateral trade between them. Under the PTA, 100 Bangladeshi products will get duty free access to Bhutan, while 34 items from Bhutan will get duty free access into Bangladesh. Further items can be added in the list later on the basis of discussion between the two countries. This is the first PTA signed by Bangladesh with any country in the world since its independence in 1971. The PTA was signed on 6th December 2020, to mark 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan. In 1971, Bhutan was the first country in the world to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country.

Note: Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.

Bhutan Capital: Thimphu; Bhutan Currency: Bhutanese ngultrum; Bhutan Prime Minister: Lotay Tshering.

 

2. Singapore becomes first country to approve lab-grown meat: Singapore has granted San Francisco start-up Eat Just regulatory approval to sell its laboratory-grown chicken in the city-state, the world’s first government to allow the sale of cultured meat. Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Singapore’s regulatory authority entrusted with ensuring a safe food supply, granted the approval after an iterative and extensive safety review process. The cell-cultured chicken will be produced under Eat Just’s new GOOD Meat brand through partnerships with local manufacturers. The lab meat will go on sale to restaurants before it is available to consumers.

 

3. International Civil Aviation Day: 7th December: The International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated every year on December 7 to recognize the importance of aviation to the social and economic development of the world. The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind. The Council has decided that from now until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”. The Day was established in 1994 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the day in 1996.

Note: International Civil Aviation Organization Headquarter: Montreal, Canada; International Civil Aviation Organization Council President: Salvatore Sciacchitano; International Civil Aviation Organization Founded: 7 December 1944.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Axis Bank launches ‘Axis Bank Rupi Business Credit Card’ for MSMEs: Axis Bank Ltd in partnership with Rupifi and Visa launched ‘Axis Bank Rupifi Business Credit Card’ for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). This Contactless Co-Branded credit card, powered by Visa is applicable only to the MSMEs businesses that transact on the aggregator platforms partnered with Rupifi PAN (Permanent Account Number) India for their business purchases. The card offers credit solutions to such MSMEs. It is only for domestic transactions. About Axis Bank Rupifi Business Credit Card:

Average Credit Limit: The average credit limit offered by the card will be between the range of Rs 1 Lakh and Rs 2 lakh per month. This will be decided on the basis of the business data of the transaction of the MSME with the aggregator platforms, GMV (Gross Monthly Volume) of the last 6 months and overall revenue among other factors.

Joining and Annual Fees: The joining fee is Rs 1000 and the annual fee is not required for this card.

Revolve feature & Interest-free Credit Period: The card comes with a 51 days interest-free credit period. The revolving feature of the card provides the customers with an option to pay the full balance at the end of each billing cycle or to carry over the balance from one month to the next by paying a minimum amount.

Note: Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Axis Bank MD and CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry; Axis Bank Tagline:  Badhti Ka naam Zindagi

Rupifi Co-Founder and CEO: Anubhav Jain; Rupifi Headquarters: Bengaluru(Bangalore), Karnataka; Rupifi Founded: 2019.

 

2. SIDBI launches asset restructuring web module, signs MoU with Indian Bank: The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has launched an asset restructuring web module, https://arm-msme.in, to help MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) get benefit from the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) MSME restructuring guideline. With the help of this Do-It-Yourself (DIY) asset restructuring web module, MSMEs will be able to prepare restructuring proposals by keying in only the most essential data of their past financials, future projections and restructuring requirements. The proposal prepared can be submitted online to the banks and reports can also be generated for submission to banks through email or in hard copies. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed on Monday between SIDBI and Indian Bank in the presence of Padmaja Chunduru, MD & CEO, Indian Bank.

 

3. NPCI allows payment banks and fintechs to be shareholders: Retail payments body National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said that it has completed private placement of 4.63% of its equity shares worth ₹81.64 crores, allowing small finance and payment banks, as well as fintechs to be shareholders in the organisation. With this small finance and payment banks such as AU Small Finance Bank Ltd., India Post Payments Bank Ltd., and digital payment fintechs including BillDesk, Amazon Pay, PayU India, PhonePe, Pine Labs and MobiKwik have joined NPCI’s shareholding and hold up to 0.44% each in the retail payments entity. The total shareholder entities for NPCI now stands at 67.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. HCL’s Roshni Nadar tops Kotak Wealth-Hurun wealthy women list 2020: Chairperson of HCL Technologies, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has topped the list of wealthiest women in India, according to the second edition of ‘Kotak Wealth Hurun–Leading Wealthy Women’ report. The report is compiled by Kotak Wealth Management, a division of Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Hurun India. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon and Leena Gandhi Tewari of USV are at the second and third rank respectively in the Kotak Wealth Hurun wealthy women list 2020. Shaw is also the wealthiest self-made woman on the list. 19 women from this list also feature in the Hurun India Rich List 2020, and 6 women have made it to the Hurun Global Rich List 2020.

About the Ranking: The ranking is based on the net worth of women as on September 30, 2020, and focuses exclusively on women who play an active role in their family business, entrepreneurs and professionals.

 

2. Manipur’s Nongpok Sekmai Police Station best in India: The Nongpok Sekmai Police Station in Manipur topped the list of best police stations in India, while Sooramangalam All Women Police Station at Salem, Tamil Nadu was adjudged the second best police station in the country. The Kharsang PS, Arunachal Pradesh‘s Changlang district was adjudged the country’s third-best police station. Here is the list of Top 5 Police Stations for 2020:

State	District	Police Station
Manipur	Thoubal	Nongpok Sekmai
Tamil Nadu	Salem City	AWPS-Suramangalam
Arunachal Pradesh	Changlang	Kharsang
Chhattisgarh	Surajpur	Jhilmili (Bhaiya Thana)
Goa	South Goa	Sanguem

The top 10 Police Stations were selected from among the 16,671 Police Stations in the country through data analysis, direct observation and public feedback. The parameters used were: Property offence; Crime against women; Crime against weaker sections; Missing persons, unidentified found person and unidentified dead bodies.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. World’s greatest athlete-turned actor Rafer Johnson passes away: American decathlete and film actor, Rafer Johnson, who was 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, has passed away. After he retired from athletics, Johnson turned to act and appeared in a number of films, including the James Bond film Licence to Kill in 1989.