Daily GK Updates – 22nd Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GoI and ADB sign 4.21 million dollar PRF facility for Tripura: The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a US $4.21 million project readiness financing (PRF) facility for the preparation of infrastructure development projects to improve urban amenities and develop tourism infrastructure in Tripura. This is ADB’s first PRF facility for a state in the northeastern region of India.

About PRF facility: The facility will support the Tripura Government’s priorities of improving urban services and tourism infrastructures that will help boost economic development. The facility aims to ensure high readiness of ensuing infrastructure projects through feasibility studies, preparing detailed engineering designs, and capacity building of state-level agencies while ensuring climate and disaster resilience and sustainability of sub-projects.

 

2. ADB and India sign $300 million loan to upgrade power projects in UP: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed $300 million loan agreement with the Government of India to upgrade rural power distribution networks in Uttar Pradesh. This upgradation helps to provide reliable electricity supply to consumers in the state. This is the first tranche of the loan for the Uttar Pradesh Power Distribution Network Rehabilitation Project.

About the project: Overall, the $430 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) has been approved for the project constituting two tranches. The project envisages conversion of 65,000 kilometres (km) of rural low-voltage distribution lines from bare conductors to aerial bundled conductors (ABC) to create a robust distribution network that will benefit an estimated 70 million people in 46,000 villages.

 

3. Centre to dedicate a Museum on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Kolkata on 125th birth anniversary: The Government of India has proposed to set up a museum dedicated to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, in Kolkata, as a tribute on his 125th birth anniversary celebrations on 23rd January 2021. The government has also decided to expand the current museum of Netaji at Red Fort in New Delhi. Apart from this, Centre is also considering to reprint some of the books written by Subhash Chandra Bose, and even start fellowships for students. A large array of historical documents, clippings, photos, videos, memorabilia and other material is available with the families of Bose as well as those of INA members which would be brought together at one place for display and dissemination.

 

4. National Mathematics Day: 22th December: India observes the National Mathematics Day every year on 22 December since 2012. The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. This year nation celebrates his 133rd birth anniversary of Ramanujan. Ramanujan had a wealth of ideas that have transformed and reshaped 20th-century mathematics. These ideas continue to shape mathematics of the 21st century. The main objective behind the celebration of National Mathematics Day is to make people aware of the development of mathematics and its importance in the growth of humanity. The day was announced on 26 February 2012 by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan (22 Dec 1887- 26 Apr 1920). 2012 was also observed as National Mathematics Year.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India ranks 111 in Human Freedom Index 2020: A worldwide ranking of civil, economic and personal freedom, the Human Freedom Index 2020 was released. India was placed at the 111th spot out of 162 countries. In 2019, India ranked 94 on the index. The first three spots have been bagged by New Zealand, Switzerland and Hong Kong. The United States and the United Kingdom are tied at the 17th spot on the index. War-torn Syria ranked the last on the list.

Facts related to India: India’s scored 6.30 out of 10 in personal freedom and 6.56 in economic freedom. The country’s overall human freedom score was 6.43. However, India has been ranked ahead of China and Bangladesh, which ranked 129 and 139 on the 2020 index respectively.

About Human Freedom Index: Human Freedom Index was published by American think tank Cato Institute and Fraser Institute in Canada. The index takes into account 76 indicators of personal, civil, and economic freedoms to rank 162 countries from 2008 to 2018. The institutes noted that the world has seen a notable decline in personal freedom since 2008.

 

2. Nana Akufo-Addo re-elected as president of Ghana: Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has been re-elected after a tightly contested election. Mr Akufo-Addo obtained 51.6% of the vote, compared with 47.4% won by his main rival, ex-President John Mahama, official results showed. Mr Mahama has not yet conceded defeat. His party has rejected the results, citing alleged irregularities.It was the third time the two politicians had faced each other in a presidential election.

 

3. Russia successfully test-launches Angara-5 space rocket: Russia successfully test-launched its heavy lift Angara A5 space rocket for the second time, from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwest Russia. First test-launched in 2014, it is being developed to replace the Proton M as Russia’s heavy lift rocket, capable of carrying payloads bigger than 20 tonnes into orbit. A launch pad for the new rocket is due to open in 2021.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mauritian badminton player Foo Kune banned for two years by CAS: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has banned Mauritian badminton player Kate Jessica Foo Kune for two years for an anti-doping violation. Foo Kune tested positive for a banned steroid during the 2019 African Badminton World Championships in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, but a Badminton World Federation (BWF) panel ruled she bore no fault or negligence. The 27-year-old escaped sanction after contending that her positive test was the result of sabotage and that her water had been spiked by an “ill-intentioned individual”.

Note: Court of Arbitration for Sport President: John Coates; Court of Arbitration for Sport HQ: Lausanne (Switzerland).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Paytm launches 24×7 RTGS money transfer for merchants: Digital financial services platform Paytm has launched a 24×7 RTGS facility to support the companies that make high-value transactions. It also enables businesses to make bulk and instant money transfers to their employees, vendors & partners. Customers can instantly make bulk payments to Bank Accounts, UPI addresses, and Paytm Wallets through Paytm Payouts’ APIs and Paytm for Business Dashboard. Paytm Payout is the only service provider that offers seamless round the clock money transfers through Wallet, UPI, IMPS, NEFT & RTGS. The company has made this announcement after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decision to make RTGS facility 24×7. This service saves time and resources and it is beneficial for SME & large enterprises who use it to adopt an automated payment mechanism.

Note: Paytm HQ: Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Paytm Founder & CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

 

2. Ewire Softtech ties up with YES Bank for prepaid card: Ewire Softtech, under Kerala Startup Mission, has launched a prepaid card in association with YES Bank, enabling the next-generation payment platform provider chart an all-India presence. The co-branded digital banking mobile application will help the public and corporate houses with loans, insurance and CASA account through its channel partners. This can be done via its dedicated RuPay prepaid cards platform. The card will be offered through YES Bank’s branches across 28 States and 8 UTs.

 

3. Edelweiss General Insurance launches India’s first Open API Gateway for Insurance products: Edelweiss General Insurance (EGI), India’s first cloud-native insurer, has launched a first of its kind, Open API (Application Programming Interface) Gateway, to facilitate complete digital collaboration with its business partners. With this Gateway, EGI’s authorized partners can easily integrate their systems with the company’s robust technology platform, which will help further reinforce EGI’s linkages with both customers and partners. The Open API Gateway is also aimed to bring in a seamless and delightful experience to the end consumer.

 

4. SBI Card, BPCL jointly launch credit card offering benefits to high fuel spending customers: SBI Card announced launch of ‘BPCL SBI Card Octane‘ in association with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), offering maximum savings to consumers who spend a significant amount on fuel. The credit card has been designed to offer maximum savings to the well-heeled consumer segment which spends a significant amount on fuel. The card offers 7.25 per cent value back (including 1 per cent surcharge waiver) on fuel and lubricant spends at BPCL fuel stations and 6.25 per cent value back on Bharat Gas spends. It also bundles in accelerated savings on other regular spend categories, including departmental store and grocery, dining and movies.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IBM, Telangana govt join hands for skilling 30,000 students in emerging technologies: Tech major IBM and the Telangana government have entered into a collaboration to provide curated online courses for the states students that will enhance their technical and professional skills. IBM will work with Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) to offer Open P-TECH, a free digital education platform focused on emerging technologies and professional development skills. A total of 30,000 students of engineering, degree and polytechnic courses would benefit from the initiative over a period of one year.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India’s Vidyut Mohan named among ‘Young Champions of the Earth’ by UNEP: Vidyut Mohan was one of the “Young Champions of the Earth” winners by United Nations Environment Programme. A 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur is among the seven winners of the prestigious “Young Champions of the Earth” 2020 prize given by the UN environment agency to global change-makers using innovative ideas and ambitious action to help solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The prize is annually awarded to 7 entrepreneurs under age 30.

About Vidyut Mohan:  Vidyut Mohan, an engineer, is the co-founder of “Takachar”, a social enterprise enabling farmers to prevent open burning of their waste farm residues and earn extra income by converting them into value-added chemicals like activated carbon on-site.

 

2. Ratan Tata to be honoured with ‘Global Visionary of Sustainable Business and Peace’ award: Veteran industrialist, Ratan Tata will be honoured by the Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce for promoting innovation that supports sustainability and peace in the region, including with the Palestinians. The chairman emeritus of the Tata group will be honoured with ‘Global Visionary of Sustainable Business and Peace’ award during the launch of the Federation of Indo-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s international chapter in Dubai on December 21. The opening of the Federation of Indo-Israel Chamber of Commerce’s international chapter in Dubai is the first such initiative aiming at tapping business opportunities together in other countries and developing trilateral collaborations.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Senior BJP leader and former Gonda MP Satyadev Singh passes away: One of the senior-most leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Gonda MP Satya Dev Singh has passed away. He was 75. He contested from Gonda Lok Sabha constituency on the ticket of Bharatiya Lok Dal for the first time in 1977. Later, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Balrampur parliamentary seat as Bharatiya Janata Party MP in 1991 and 1996.  He also served as the National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 1980 to 1985.

Daily GK Updates – 21st Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Pareshram’ Portal: Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik through a video conference, launched ‘Pareshram’ Portal along with 22 online services of Labour and Employees State Insurance Department. The Portal and the Online Services shall be helpful in “Ease of Doing Business” and contribute significantly to the industrial development of the State. The Portal will provide 52 types of services in the coming days. This technology is the foundation of 5-T initiative and this will help in transformation, hoped that information regarding different Labour Laws will be available and industries, commercial organisations, small entrepreneurs and public will be benefited through this Portal.

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

 

2. Mega leather park with Rs 5,850 cr investment to come up in Kanpur: Mega leather park to come up in Ramaipur village of Kanpur with an investment of Rs 5,850 crores. The park, part of the mega leather cluster project will create 50,000 direct jobs & indirect employment for 1.5 lakh people. Recently, the project has received approval from the Union Commerce Ministry. The mega leather cluster project will attract an investment of about Rs 13,000 crores. With the mega leather cluster at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in the country to establish a leather park. The leather park will be equipped with an effluent treatment plant to keep a check on pollution. For setting up units in the park, industrial plots ranging from 4,000 square metres to 10,000 square metres will be provided to the investors.

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

 

3. Nehru Zoological Park Hyderabad gets ISO certifications: Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, with its standard working procedures, has acquired ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards Certification from ASCB, UK. The Hyderabad Zoo has become the first zoo in the country to receive ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards Certificate. This was presented to Telangana Forests Minister A. Indra Karan Reddy. HYM International Certifications, Accredited by ASCB(UK) recently conducted an assessment of the Zoo for ISO 9001:2015 Certifications and expressed satisfaction and happiness in the standards being followed in Nehru Zoological Park in the area of sanitation, food processing, animal breeding, Zoo Hospital, animal care, hygiene maintenance and establishment.

 

4. NHAI chairman Sukhbir Singh Sandhu gets six months extension: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has been given six months extension as the chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension in central deputation tenure of Sandhu, chairman, NHAI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, for a period of six months beyond January 21, 2021, i.e. up to July 21, 2021. Sandhu is a 1988-batch IAS officer of Uttarakhand cadre.

Note: National Highways Authority of India Founded: 1988; National Highways Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

5. ISRO sets up dedicated control centre ‘NETRA’ for SSA: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set up a dedicated Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Control Centre named “NETRA”, at its ISTRAC campus at Peenya, Bengaluru. The ISRO SSA Control Centre ‘NETRA’ was formally inaugurated by ISRO Chairman K Sivan.

What is NETRA: The “NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis (NETRA)” will monitor, track and protect India’s space assets. It will function as a hub of all SSA activities within India. It has been set up as a ‘Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and Management (DSSAM)’ aiming to protect high valued space assets from space debris close approaches and collisions. The state-of-the-art facility, dedicated to SSA activities, will also help to coordinate between Indian agencies, their foreign counterparts and international bodies. The main elements of NETRA would be a radar, an optical telescope facility, and a control centre.

What is Space Situational Awareness (SSA): SSA is the science of tracking objects (man-made and natural) that are in orbit and also predicting what they would be at a given point in time. Only the US, Russia and Europe have similar facility in place to track space objects and share collision warnings.

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

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Boris Johnson invites PM Modi to UK-Led G-7 Summit: United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the UK-hosted G-7 summit 2021. UK Prime Minister Johnson has also accepted the very generous invitation to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations in January. PM Johnson will attend India’s annual Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

 

2. India ranks 131 in Human Development Index 2020: According to the report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India has been dropped two spots to 131 among 189 countries in the 2020 Human Development Index.

According to the report: Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Iceland, the report showed. Niger is the lowest ranked country at 189, placed among Low human development category, with a score of 0.394. India(131), Bhutan (129), Bangladesh (133), Nepal (142), and Pakistan (154) were ranked among countries with medium human development. In the BRICS grouping, Russia was 52 in the human development index, Brazil 84, and China 85.

Facts related to India: Between 1990 and 2019, India’s life expectancy at birth increased by 11.8 years, mean years of schooling increased by 3.5 years, and expected years of schooling increased by 4.5 years. India’s GNI per capita increased by about 273.9% between 1990 and 2019. Life expectancy for Indian’s at birth was 69.7 years in 2019, slightly lower than the south Asian average of 69.9 years, but slightly higher than the average of medium human development index groupings in the world at 69.3 years.

Note: UNDP Headquarters: New York, New York, United States; UNDP Head: Achim Steiner; UNDP Founded: 22 November 1965.

 

3. PM Modi holds virtual summit with Sheikh Hasina: The Government of India and Bangladesh held a virtual summit to hold comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of the bilateral relationship, including further strengthening cooperation in the post-COVID-19 era. The meeting was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

During the summit: The two leaders jointly inaugurated the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link, which would connect the borders of the two neighbouring countries. The rail route lies between Haldibari in West Bengal and Chilahati in Bangladesh. It is re-opened after a gap of 55 years. The railway line has been defunct after rail links between India and then East Pakistan snapped in 1965. Both the leaders also digitally inaugurated the digital exhibition in the honour of Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman. The Indian side also released a postal stamp to commemorate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Apart from this, the two sides signed 7 MoUs and agreements in various fields.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India pledges USD 1 million to WADA to support Clean Sport: India has pledged a sum of USD 1 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), towards its scientific research budget, to ensure an atmosphere of Clean Sport globally. The contribution made by India is the highest among contributions made by other world governments, including China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. This contribution is over and above the annual contribution made to WADA’s core budget by India. The sum will be used by WADA to develop innovative anti-doping testing and detection methods, and further strengthen WADA’s independent Investigations and Intelligence Department. The total contribution of all member nations will be matched by an equal sum by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to create a corpus of USD 10 million.

Note: President of WADA: Sir Craig Reedie; Headquarters: Montreal, Canada; Founded: 10 November 1999.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI imposes Rs 50 lakh fine on Urban Co-operative Bank in Kerala: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 50.00 lakh on The Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd in Kerala. This fine is imposed for non-compliance with directions issued on Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms and on Management of Advances-UCBs. Statutory inspection of the bank with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2019, conducted by RBI, revealed that the bank had not complied with the directions, the central bank said in a statement. A notice was issued to the bank asking why penalty should not be imposed for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

2. SBI General Insurance, IntrCity RailYatri partner to offer ₹5L travel cover: SBI General Insurance partnered with IntrCity RailYatri, to provide travel insurance of ₹5 lakh on tickets for bus commuters opting to travel through IntrCity RailYatri. The travel cover is offered on buying the ticket. Under this partnership, SBI General insurance will provide a wide variety of coverage including accidental death, permanent total disability, and medical evacuation.

Note: SBI General Insurance CEO: PC Kandpal.

IntrCity RailYatri CEO: Manish Rathi.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ICRA Projects Indian economy to contract 7.8% in FY21: The domestic rating agency, ICRA Ratings expects the technical recession in the country’s economy to end in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal, limiting the contraction in the GDP to 7.8 per cent in the financial year 2021.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Robert Lewandowski and Lucy Bronze win best of 2020 FIFA awards: The Bayern Munich striker, Robert Lewandowski has been named The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020, beating off competition from last year’s winner Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 32-year-old Lewandowski, top scorer in Europe and winner of the Champions League with Bayern. Manchester City full-back, Lucy Bronze won the women’s best player award, becoming the first female English player to take the prize. It is the first occasion for both Lewandowski and Bronze to win the award, with the Pole only the second player after Luka Modric in 2018 to break a 13-year Messi-Ronaldo hegemony.

 

2. Kylie Jenner tops Forbes’ list of highest-paid celebrities of 2020: American media personality and reality TV star, Kylie Jenner has been crowned the highest-paid celebrity of 2020 by Forbes. The top-earning stars in the world earned a combined of $6.1 billion in 2020 with Kylie Jenner. Setting aside Kylie’s history with Forbes, the financial experts there calculated her earning this year to be at $590 million after she sold a majority of her beauty brand’s stake to Coty Inc.

Ranked at number 2 on the list by making $170 million was American rapper and record producer Kanye West, who is also coincidentally Kylie’s brother-in-law. In addition to Tyler Perry, Howard Stern, and Dwayne Johnson, A-lister athletes like Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar and LeBron James helped round out the top 10. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entertainment industry, this year’s combined total of USD 6.1 billion was USD 200 million lesser than that of 2019.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Journalist and first official RSS Spokesperson MG Vaidya passes away: Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue, MG Vaidya has passed away. He was a veteran journalist, a Sanskrit scholar and the first official spokesperson of the RSS. He became a member of the RSS in 1943.

Daily GK Updates – 20th Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Gujarat gets new online fire safety approval system, first state to do so: A new mechanism for approval and renewal of fire safety certifications for buildings has been put in place in Gujarat by bringing the entire process online through a portal called Fire Safety COP, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.Gujarat will be the first State to do this. The system, which will be implemented from January 26 next year, comes after recent incidents of fire in COVID-19 facilities in which several patients died, including in Rajkot on November 27. As part of the new system, the government has approved the process of training and empaneling private ”fire safety officers (FSOs)” to carry out periodic inspection, testing and maintenance of fire safety systems in buildings and renewal of certificates.

 

2. Andhra CM Jaganmohan launches ‘YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme’ for farmers: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has launched the ‘YSR Free Crop Insurance’ scheme for the benefit of farmers in the state. Simultaneous with the launch, Rs 1,252 crore was credited into the bank accounts of 9.48 lakh farmers who have lost their crops during 2019.Crop loss compensation for 2020 will be paid in April 2021, after the Planning Department submits its report.  Chief Minister Reddy said that 10,641 Rythu Bharosa Kendrams are set up, integrated with village secretariats to support the farmers. The government has initiated e-cropping, where details of all crops are uploaded in a database, including the crop loss numbers. All this information, crop loss compensations would be displayed at the RBKs for social audit.

 

3. Maharashtra govt all set to launch ‘MahaSharad’ platform: Maharashtra’s Department of Social Justice is all set to launch an ambitious scheme for distribution of assistive devices to lakhs of persons with disabilities through MahaSharad Digital Platform to coincide with NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s 80th birthday. It will be available on Play Store by March 2021. Maharashtra System for Health and Rehabilitation Assistance” or MahaSharad platform has been created to provide various devices to persons with disabilities free of cost through the Commissionerate for persons with Disability. Modern equipment and devices help divyang to lead life like normal individuals. Several people, organizations, private companies, industrialists and others are willing to make available such equipment for divyang. The MahaSharad platform will help such donors meet needy divyang. Those in need can start registering on the portal from today itself.

 

4. Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati elected as Vice President of ABU: The CEO of Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati has been elected as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) for a period of three years. Prasar Bharati is India’s largest public broadcasting agency. The Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia–based Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), is one of the largest broadcasting associations in the world.

Note: Prasar Bharati Founded: 23 November 1997; Prasar Bharati Headquarters: New Delhi

Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union President: İbrahim Eren; Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Formation: 1 July 1964.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NASA selects Raja Chari as commander of SpaceX Crew-3 mission: NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have selected Indian-American Raja Chari to be the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. Presently Raja Chari,  is a colonel in the US Air Force. He will be the commander of SpaceX Crew-3 mission, while Nasa’s Tom Marshburn will be pilot and ESA’s Matthias Maurer will serve as a mission specialist. This mission is expected to be launched next year. When Chari, Marshburn, and Maurer arrive at the orbiting laboratory, they will become expedition crew members for the duration of their six-month stay. The crew will have a slight overlap with the Crew-2 astronauts, who are expected to launch in the spring of 2021.

About Raja Chari: Chari was born in Milwaukee, but considers Cedar Falls, Iowa, his hometown. Raja Chari’s father Srinivas Chari left for the US from Hyderabad at a young age for an engineering degree. He is a colonel in the US Air Force and joins the mission with extensive experience as a test pilot. For Raja Chari, this will be the first spaceflight. He became a Nasa astronaut in 2017.

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

 

2. WHO, IFRC sign memorandum of understanding on emergency medical teams: WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and IFRC Secretary-General Mr Jagan Chapagain signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on implementing the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) initiative. The MoU, also known as the Red Channel Agreement, is the culmination of years of collaboration between IFRC and the WHO Emergency Medical Team Initiative. The new agreement will bring more synergies to health emergency response between the two international organisations, particularly in technical standards, accountability, and coordination.

 

3. Bangladesh-India Cotton Fest held in Dhaka: The second Bangladesh-India Cotton Fest 2020 was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Cotton Association (BCA) jointly organized the festival, in cooperation with Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Indian Cotton Association Ltd. (ICAL), India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI). Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to the prime minister, was the chief guest at the event, organised by Bangladesh Cotton Association. The festival focuses on the development of trade relations between the two countries.

 

4. International Human Solidarity Day: 20th December: International Human Solidarity Day is observed globally on 20 December every year to celebrate unity in diversity and raise awareness about the importance of solidarity. According to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, solidarity is among the fundamental values that are essential to international relations. The General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century, and in that regard decided to proclaim 20 December of each year International Human Solidarity Day.

What is Solidarity: Solidarity is defined as an awareness of shared interests and objectives that create a psychological sense of unity and ties in a society that bind people together as one.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mohammad Amir announced his retirement from international cricket: Pakistan’s star pacer, Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from international cricket citing ‘mental torture’ by the management as the reason behind his decision. Left-arm fast bowler Amir made his international debut in July 2009. In his ODI debut, in the same month, Amir bagged 3 wickets for 45 runs in his 10 overs, announcing the start of a star career. However, his potentially big career was hindered by his infamous match-fixing involvement with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI forms new department to check promoter frauds: Market regulator SEBI has set up a specialised department to tackle cases of diversion of funds, bank loans and resources by company promoters. The new department will be known as the Corporation Finance Investigation Department (CFID). The new department will even check if resources like company land, guest houses or vehicles are misused by promoters.

 

2. Aceware Fintech launches service for doorstep withdrawal of money: Aimed at enabling withdrawal of money from a bank account from the comfort of home, Aceware, a fintech company based in Infopark, has launched Ace Money Micro ATM service in Kochi. Initially, the service will be available in Kochi city, and the company has already recruited delivery executives for rolling out the service. The company is planning to expand the service to all the municipalities in the State by January 2021. Aceware is rolling out the service in association with ICICI Bank. Customers can place an order for money on Ace Money app, which can be downloaded from Google Play Store and App Store. The money will be delivered at the doorstep within 30-40 minutes after placing the order.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Amazon and CII join hands to bring e-commerce gains to MSMEs in 10 states: At the 17th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Global SME Business Summit, Amazon.in and CII signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring the benefits of ecommerce to micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in 10 states across India. Amazon.in and CII will work closely with the Ministry of MSME to enable lakhs of MSMEs across these states to leverage technology to reach customers in India and globally.

 

2. NSDC partners with Byju”s to support skilling of teachers, trainers: Edtech major Byju’s said it has inked an agreement with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to support the skilling of teachers and trainers. Sharing a vision to accelerate Skill India Mission, the partners aim at empowering teachers and trainers with the key skills and digital tools to make learning engaging, effective and personalised for children and youth. Byju’s will support NSDC by providing free access to its educational content and tools to help teachers, and will share its digital educational content (scholastic and non-scholastic) as free licences with the NSDC ecosystem to equip teachers as well as students for a quality learning experience.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. SAIL gets Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2020: Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been awarded with the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2020 in the Steel Sector by the Institute of Directors. The company has been the winner of this award for successive two years and this bears testimony to the efforts made by it for sustainable and environmentally responsible steel making. This award is one of the most coveted awards in the category.

Why this award was given to SAIL: SAIL, as its Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection continuously focuses on adopting various environmental measures including, upgrading of pollution control facilities, treatment & recirculation of wastewater from individual units & outfalls, enhancement in the green cover in & around Plants & Units, efficient handling of different solid wastes (viz. process waste, hazardous waste, canteen/township waste), carbon sequestration through afforestation, eco-restoration of mined out area, among others. Also, the impact of SAIL’s initiatives and best practices on improving cleaner environment, reducing emissions & discharges, mitigating impacts of climate change and helping the Company to conduct its operations in environmentally benign manner has been recognized.

Note: Chairman of SAIL: Anil Kumar Chaudhary; SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi; SAIL founded: 19 January 1954.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 35th Edition of India-Indonesia CORPATs: The 35th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted from 17 to 18 December 2020. The 35th IND – INDO CORPAT will contribute towards the Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the Indo Pacific. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kulish, an indigenously built missile corvette along with P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) will undertake coordinated patrol with Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Cut Nyak Dien, a Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim I) class corvette and an MPA of the Indonesian Navy.

To reinforce maritime links, the two navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line since 2002, with the aim of ensuring safety and security of shipping and international trade in the region. CORPATs build up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitate the institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950

Daily GK Updates – 19th Dec, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Maharashtra Government Introduces Unified Development Control Rules for Real Estate: The Government of Maharashtra has approved the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations, (UDCPR), to strengthen and bring uniformity in the real estate construction laws of the state. The new set of rules will apply on all municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats in the entire state except Mumbai and some neighbouring areas like hill stations, eco-sensitive zones and specified corporation areas. This uniform set of regulations will specify everything from height of buildings to the width of roads and size of amenity spaces. It will help to increase the stock of affordable housing projects and improve ease of doing business as well as help the developers to improve their resource management

 

2. Finance Ministry notifies updated viability gap funding scheme: The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme was notified by the Ministry of Finance under which various infrastructure projects will be selected for financial support to provide a boost to the sector. According to the VGF scheme, the Empowered Committee (EC) chaired by the economic affairs secretary will sanction a funding amount of up to Rs 200 crore, while projects requiring more than Rs 200 crore would be approved by the Empowered Committee, after the approval from the Minister of Finance. The VGF scheme will be known as the ‘Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs’ (Public-Private Partnerships) in the infrastructure sector.This will be a central sector scheme and administered by the Finance Ministry.

 

3. AP CM virtually launches ‘Jagananna Jeeva Kranthi’ scheme: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy virtually launched ‘Jagananna Jeeva Kranthi’ scheme, under which 2.49 lakh units of sheep and goats will be distributed to women in a phased manner at a cost of ₹1,869 crore. The scheme aims at improving the living standards of women with less investment. Under the scheme, women belonging to the Backward Classes, the Scheduled Castes (SCs), and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the age group of 45-60 years would get 2.49 lakh sheep and goat units. Each unit consists of 15 sheep or goats (with one ram or billy) in each unit. The State would facilitate and provide suggestions, in case the women want to buy the sheep and goats on their own.

 

4. Ministry of AYUSH approves 200 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres in Almora district of Uttarakhand: The Ministry of AYUSH has approved 200 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres in almora district of Uttarakhand under centrally sponsored scheme of National AYUSH Mission. In  this regard, Arvind Lal Vandana Lal (ALVL) Foundation, New Delhi is providing support to the department of AYUSH, Uttarakhand, in operationalization of AYUSH HWCs in Almora district of Uttarakhand.  The Central Government will provide necessary technical support. The ALVL Foundation will support in Population Enumeration, creation of Health Cards in the catchment population of the HWCs and help in training and capacity building of HWC team. The Central Government has decided to operationalise 12,500 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres in phased manner by the year 2023-2024 throughout the country.

 

5. Goa Liberation Day: 19th December: Goa Liberation Day is observed on 19 December every year in India and it marks the day Indian armed forces freed Goa in 1961 following 450 years of Portuguese rule. Goa Liberation Day is marked by an abundance of events and festivities in Goa though this time because of the pandemic the celebrations are expected to be muted. A torchlight procession is ignited from three different locations in the state, eventually all meeting at the Azad Maidan.

History of Goa Liberation Day: The Portuguese colonised several parts of India in 1510 but by the end of the 19th-century Portuguese colonies in India were limited to Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island. The Goa liberation movement, which sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, started off with small scale revolts. On August 15, 1947, when India gained its Independence, Goa was still under the Portuguese rule.

The Portuguese refused to give up their hold over Goa and other Indian territories. Following a myriad of unsuccessful negotiations and diplomatic efforts with the Portuguese, the former prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, decided that military intervention was the only option. The 36-hour military operation, conducted from December 18, 1961, was code-named ‘Operation Vijay’ meaning ‘Operation Victory,’ and involved attacks by the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Indian Army.

Note: Goa Capital: Panaji; Governor of Goa: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Chief Minister of Goa: Pramod Sawant.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GoI inks $1-bn loan pact with NDB to support Indian Economy: The Government of India and the New Development Bank (NDB) have signed a loan agreement worth $1,000 million for ‘supporting India’s economic recovery from COVID-19’. The loan has a tenor of 30 years, including a 5-year grace period. The programme will support Indian Government in mitigating the adverse economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic and enable economic recovery in the rural areas. Under the agreement, Shanghai-based NDB will lend financial support for:

(1) The loan will support expenditures on rural infrastructure related to natural resource management (NRM) and rural employment generation under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

(2) The programme will support the government in mitigating the adverse economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic and enable economic recovery in the rural areas through natural resource management works which will facilitate economic activity and employment generation to stimulate rural demand.

(3) The programme will improve the livelihood of rural poor along with providing income opportunities to migrant workers who returned home due to job loss caused by Covid-19 pandemic.

Note: New Development Bank Headquarters location: Shanghai, China; New Development Bank President: Marcos Prado Troyjo; New Development Bank Founder: BRICS; New Development Bank Founded: 15 July 2014.

 

2. India and World Bank sign $400 million project to protect India’s poor: The Government of India and the World Bank have signed a $400 million project to protect vulnerable groups in urban and peri-urban areas across the country impacted by COVID-19. This is the second such assistance in the series of two ‘Accelerating India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Programme’. Under the first operation, $750 million was approved by World Bank in May 2020.

Under this project: World Bank will support India in its efforts at providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme will strengthen the capability of state and central governments in India to provide coordinated and adequate social protection to the poor and vulnerable from the shocks triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: Headquarters of World Bank: Washington, D.C., United States; President of World Bank: David Malpass; World Bank Founded: July 1944.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Qatar to host 2030 Asian Games, 2034 edition in Saudi Arabia: The 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha, Qatar and the 2034 event went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after a deal was struck between the rival nations. Doha beat Riyadh for the 2030 Games in the vote at the Olympic Council of Asia’s (OCA) general assembly. The vote took place amid a bitter and long-running political dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Saudi Arabia is one of four countries which has imposed a trade and travel boycott on Qatar since 2017. The OCA reached a deal to vote on the 2030 host but to give the other candidate the 2034 event.

Note: Olympic Council of Asia Headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait; Olympic Council of Asia President: Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah; Olympic Council of Asia Founded: 16 November 1982;  Olympic Council of Asia Motto: Ever Onward.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Canara Bank unveils “FX 4 U” for forex remittance via Internet Banking: Canara Bank has launched FX 4 U that enables its entire internet banking users to handle forex transactions hasslefree. FX 4 U is used for forex remittance through internet banking. With this development, eligible customers will be able to undertake remittance facility in adherence to the FEMA regulations 1999. About FX 4 U:

(1) Once the letter of credit (LC) module is activated, the corporate customers can make and submit LC applications with documents through internet banking.

(2) Corporate customers can make and submit the LC applications along with documents through internet banking once the LC module is activated.

(3) The transactions that are submitted through internet banking will flow seamlessly to the Centralized Process Centre – Forex Transactions(CPCFT), where the Compliance and accounting will be done and transmitted through The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).

Note: Syndicate Bank was amalgamated into Canara Bank on April 2020.

Canara Bank Founded: July 1906 by Shri Ammembal Subba Rao Pai; Canara Bank Tagline: Together We Can; Canara Bank MD & CEO: L V Prabhakar; Canara Bank Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka.

 

2. Equitas Small Finance Bank launches 3-in-1 account for saving, trading & demat: Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd, (SFB) has launched a 3-in-1 account, which allows its customers to invest in wide variety of financial product using a single platform. A 3-in1 account (savings +trading+ demat) will help the customers to keep all their banking and financial investments under one umbrella entity. The bank will provide stock broking and demat services through referral arrangement with brokerage firms for trading and depository services. The financial products offered through the 3-in-1 account includes direct equity and F&O trading, MF investment across all AMCs, ETFs, corporate FDs, corporate bonds, government bonds, insurance products, National Pension Scheme (NPS) and initial public offerings.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SBI Ecowrap Report Projects India GDP to contract 7.4% in FY21: The State Bank of India, in its research report ‘Ecowrap’ has revised the GDP growth of India at (-) 7.4 percent in FY21. Earlier this forecast was (-) 10.9 percent. The SBI research report has also forecast India’s GDP growth in FY22 at 11 percent. The report also believes that it would take seven quarters from the fourth quarter of FY21 for GDP to reach the pre-pandemic level in nominal terms.

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

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Coast Guard’s OPV ‘Sujeet’ commissioned in Goa: Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Sujeet’, which is second in the series of 5 OPVs was commissioned at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Vasco Town, Goa by Raj Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production). The vessel has been designed and built indigenously by GSL. The 1st ship in series – ICGS (ICG Ship) Sachet was commissioned by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in May 2020. The ship was commissioned in the presence of K Natarajan, Director General of Indian Coast Guard and others. About Sujeet:

(1) Sujeet has been equipped with features like Integrated Bridge System, Integrated platform management system, power management system and high power external fire-fighting.

(2) It is capable of carrying 1 twin-engine helicopter, 4 high-speed boats, 2 inflatable boats for boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol.

(3) The ship will be based at Goa and will be deployed extensively for EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) surveillance and other duties.

(4) The ship will be 105 metres long and weigh 2400 tonnes.

(5) At present, ICG has stated that it has 155 ships and 62 Aircraft at its disposal with 35 more ships in various stages of construction at shipyards across India.

Note: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Director General of ICG: KrishnaswamyNatarajan; Indian Coast Guard Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk passes away: Renowned South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk died of complications from COVID-19 in Latvia. He was 59. Kim K-duk was a South Koren filmmaker who was conferred with various awards for his work. He was the recipient of Golden Lion at 69th Venice International Film Festival and the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 61st Venice International Film Festival. Kim Ki-duk made his directorial debut in 1996 with Crocodile.The late filmmaker’s last release was a Russian film titled Dissolve. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. Other popular releases of the filmmaker include Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring, 3-Iron, One on One, Samaritan Girl, Arirang and Pietà.