Daily GK Updates – 20th Jan, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala Governor launches ‘One School One IAS’ scheme: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has inaugurated the ‘OneSchool One IAS’ scheme which has been rolled out under the Vedhik Erudite Foundations Scholarship Programme. According to a notification released an institution considered by top academics and retired IAS and IPS officers in the state is conducting the programme which seeks to refute the general notion that the civil service is for the elite class only.

About the programme: The programme will be providing free training to the students who are economically backward but are academically brilliant aspirants of civil service and other competitive exams. The scheme is supported by sponsors, which expects an enrollment of 10,000 boys and girls across the state. The beneficiaries of the programme will be selected by a panel which will be headed by the heads of the respective educational institutions.

Note: Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

2. Petroleum Ministry launches ‘SAKSHAM’ campaign: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched a month-long mass awareness campaign titled ‘SAKSHAM’ to spread awareness about green and clean energy. The campaign has been organised by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), to motivate consumers to switch to cleaner fuels and bring in behavioural change to use fossil fuel intelligently. The campaign will spread awareness about seven key drivers that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently mentioned.

About SAKSHAM: SAKSHAM stands for Sanrakshan Kshamata Mahotsav. The pan-India campaign would include various activities such as cyclotron, farmer workshops, seminars, painting competition, CNG vehicle driving contest, etc to spread awareness among masses about the advantages of using clean fuels. They include moving towards a gas-based economy, cleaner use of fossil fuels, greater reliance on domestic sources to drive biofuels and increased use of electric vehicles.

Note: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas: Dharmendra Pradhan.

 

3. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates National Road Safety Month 2021: The first-ever National Road Safety Month was inaugurated by Union Minister for Defence Shri Rajnath Singh and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways & MSME Nitin Gadkari. It is the inaugural edition of the National Road Safety Month and is being held in place of National Road Safety Week, which was being observed since the past few years. The objective of the month-long programme is to build awareness about road safety and reduce road accidents in India. It will be held till 17 February 2021.

About National Road Safety Month: During this period, nation-wide activities would be conducted throughout the country in association with State Govt./Union Territory administrations, NHAI, NHIDCL, OEMs and NGOs. The centre is also taking several measures to reduce road accidents by Restructuring and Strengthening 4E’s of Road safety, which are: Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Emergency care Services.

 

4. Ramchandra Guha’s latest book ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket’: Ramchandra Guha’s latest book ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket’ would be launching virtually in the Tata Literature Live (The Mumbai Lit fest) this month. His latest book juxtaposes his life with his abiding love for the game & this conversation could not come at a better time with India and Australia in the midst of an enthralling test series.

The essence of the book: In his upcoming book, ‘The commonwealth of cricket: The most subtle and sophisticated game known to mankind’, Guha has penned down his personal account of being intimately involved with the game starting from the time he was a child growing up in Dehradun to his days in college, from his encounters with the best Indian and foreign cricket players to becoming part of the BCCI. As he traces his multifaceted encounters with the game through anecdotes, memoirs and evocative portraits of cricketing legends, he charts the extraordinary social and historical changes that cricket underwent in India and the world.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US designates UAE, Bahrain as ‘Major Strategic Partners’: The United States has recently designated the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the “major strategic partners” of the country. This has been announced before the formal transition of the president’s office from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. This announcement of “major strategic partners” was done by Kayleigh McEnany, the White House Press Secretary. Important Points:

(1) Designation as strategic partners will strengthen the existing partnership between the United States, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

(2) Both the countries have been designated for their commitment to countering violent extremism across the region, exceptional security partnership, and exemplified by their hosting thousands of United States airmen, soldiers, marines, and sailors.

(3) Also, both the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have been a part of various United States-led coalitions in the last 30 years. It also represents the commitment to the security and economic cooperation of the countries.

(4) The designation also reflects their determination, extraordinary courage, and leadership in entering into the Abraham Accords.

(5) The Jebel Ali port of UAE is the busiest port of call for US warships outside of the U.S. Kingdom of Bahrain also hosts around 5,000 American troops and is home to the 5th Fleet of the U.S. Navy.

Note: President of UAE: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham.

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

 

2. Pakistan Permits Dubai Royals to Hunt ‘Houbara bustard’: Pakistan has issued special permission to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the Dubai Ruler; the crown prince, and 5 members of the royal family for hunting houbara bustard during the 2020-21 hunting season. After the permission, 11 members of the United Arab Emirates’ royal family reached the Panjgur district in Balochistan, Pakistan for hunting the highly vulnerable and internationally protected houbara bustard under Pakistan’s foreign ministry license.

This is not the 1st time that Pakistan has allowed royals from the Gulf for hunting houbara bustard. Such hunting expeditions have been for four decades and have continued even the Supreme Court of Pakistan imposed a blanket ban on the killing of the houbara bustard in the year 2015.

What is the houbara bustard? The houbara bustard is a terrestrial bird found in parts of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The Asian houbara (Chlamydotis macqueenii) and North African houbara (Chlamydotis undulata) are separate species. After breeding in central Asia during spring, the Houbara bustards migrate south to spend the winter in Pakistan.

Note: President of Pakistan: Arif Alvi; Prime Minister of Pakistan: Imran Khan.

 

3. NASA targets final test of ‘world’s most powerful rocket’: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is looking to carry out the eighth and final test in its “Green Run” test series. This eighth stage termed “hot fire,” will bring to an end a series of tests which, NASA says, will gradually bring together the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) to life for the very first time. The core stage of the SLS will form the backbone of what NASA says will be the “most powerful rocket in the world” and will power its next-generation human Moon Missions.

The stage will then be assembled with the other parts of the rocket and NASA’s Orion spacecraft for Artemis I, which will be the first integrated flight of Orion-SLS and the first under the Artemis programme, under which NASA will take the first woman and the next man to Moon, by 2024.

About the “Green Run”: The 212-foot-tall SLS core stage includes the liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank can hold 733,000 gallons of propellant to power the RS-25 engines. It is the rocket that NASA projects will be carrying a new generation of astronauts to the moon and handle missions beyond the scope of existing commercial crew vehicles. This rocket is a little shorter than the Saturn V rockets but is more powerful. This new rocket will be producing 15% greater thrust during liftoff in comparison to Saturn V. When the engines are fired up, 1.6 million pounds of thrust will be generated. When the 4 RS-25 engines at the bottom of the SLS be ignited, the period of testing for the rocket will close. This core includes oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks, 4 engines and computers, and avionics of the rocket. All these will be turned on as 2.6 million litres of supercooled propellant will be loaded into the rocket and ignited. However, the rocket will remain fixed at the Stennis Space Center of NASA.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Carolina Marin wins Yonex Thailand Open badminton tournament 2021: Reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin bolstered her chances of defending her title in Tokyo later this year after claiming the Thailand Open in Bangkok over top seed Tai Tzu-Ying. The Yonex Thailand Open Super 1000 badminton tournament was held from 12 January 2021 to 17 January 2021. It was the first badminton tournament of 2021 by Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Winners of Singles Title:

Men’s Category: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) defeated Angus Long (Hong Kong) to clinch the Men’s Singles Title.

Women’s Category: Carolina Marin (Spain) defeated Tai Tzu-Ying (Taiwan) to bag the Women’s Singles Title.

Winners of Doubles Title:

In the Men’s Doubles, Taiwan’s Lee Yang & Wang Chi-Lin beat Malaysia’s Goh V Shem & Tan Wee Kiong to bag the Doubles Title.

In the Women’s Doubles, Indonesia’s Greysia Polii & Apriyani Rahayu defeated Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul & Rawinda Prajongjai to clinch the Doubles Title.

Winners of Mixed Doubles:

Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai defeated Indonesia’s Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti to clinch the mixed doubles title.

Note: Badminton World Federation President: Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen; Badminton World Federation Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. CARE lowers Centre’s fiscal deficit projection to 7.8% of GDP: CARE Ratings has revised downwards its projection of the Centre’s fiscal deficit to 7.8 % of GDP during FY21 against its earlier estimate of 9-9.5 %. The combined effect of lower revenues & higher expenditure is likely to push the fiscal deficit to 7.8% of GDP.

Note: Care Ratings HQ: Mumbai; CEO:Ajay Mahajan.

 

2. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw selected as one of USIBC vice-chair: The US-India Business Council (USIBC) has selected three top corporate leaders as the Vice-Chairs of 2021 Global Board of Directors of USIBC with immediate effect. The three new appointees will now work with USIBC President Nisha Biswal and the Council’s policy directors, for strengthening US-India commercial relationship for the future. The three newly appointed VCs are:

(1) Biocon Executive Chairperson: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

(2) Amway CEO: Milind Pant.

(3) Vice-chair at Nasdaq: Edward Knight.

USIBC has strengthened its leadership team as it plans to work with the new Joe Biden-led US administration. The Council advocates for strengthening US-India commercial relationship for the future. The vice-chairs will work to amplify the voice of the industry on international trade and investment issues and emphasise the key role that businesses can play in strengthening democratic institutions and combatting the global pandemic.

Note: US-India Business Council Founded: 1975; US-India Business Council Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Union Minister and Industrialist Kamal Morarka passes away: Former Union minister and noted industrialist Kamal Morarka has passed away. He served as the Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar from 1990 to 1991. The 74-year-old leader, a businessman who was also a former BCCI vice president. He was incumbent president of Samajwadi Janata Party (Chandra Shekhar). He was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1988.

Daily GK Updates – 19th Jan, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi launches Rs 1,000-crore ‘Startup India Seed Fund’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Rs 1,000-crore ‘Startup India Seed Fund’ on 16 January 2021, while addressing the ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’ 2021. This initiative will help in setting up new startups and promote their growth.

About the Startup India Seed Fund: The Startup India Seed Fund would support startups in need of initial capital to start and grow their business and help budding entrepreneurs pursue innovative ideas. The government has been implementing the Fund of Fund Scheme to help startups raise equity capital. Going forward, the government will also help startups in raising debt capital.

 

2. PM Modi flags off 8 trains connecting Statue of Unity: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off eight trains connecting the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya, Gujarat with different regions of the country through video conferencing. PM Modi informed that it was the first time in history that so many trains from different locations were flagged off for a common destination. The eight trains flagged off will connect Kevadiya with: Varanasi, Dadar, Ahmedabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Rewa, Chennai, and Pratapnagar.

PM also inaugurated other railway projects in Kevadiya, including Dabhoi-Chandid gauge converted broad gauge rail line, Chandod-Kevadiya new broad gauge rail line, Pratapnagar-Kevadiya newly electrified section, and new station buildings of Dabhoi Junction, Chandod and Kevadiya.

 

3. India’s first COVID-19 Vaccine recipient is Manish Kumar: Manish Kumar, a sanitation worker in Delhi, became the first person to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in India after PM Modi flagged off the nationwide vaccination drive on 16 January 2021. Manish Kumar was given the injection at AIIMS in Delhi while Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was also present.

PM Modi launched the nationwide vaccine drive via videoconferencing and congratulated the people of India on getting two ‘Made in India’ vaccines. India’s vaccination programme is based on a very important principle that those who are in need of the vaccine will get vaccinated first. Our doctors, nurses, medical & paramedical staff, sanitation workers in hospitals – be it private or hospital are entitled to get vaccinated. This will be done on priority.

 

4. NIC and CBSE jointly launch CollabCAD Software: National Informatics Centre (NIC) along with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are jointly launching CollabCAD software, a collaborative network, computer-enabled software system, providing a total engineering solution from 2D drafting and detailing to 3D product design for students and faculty of engineering graphics curriculum. NIC, CBSE and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog will also jointly release a comprehensive e-book on CollabCAD 3D modeling. This ebook 1.0 is ready for public release through the CollabCAD portal and will guide CAD students, beginners, and professionals in understanding and using CollabCAD software. It is designed and authored by the CollabCAD Group of NIC, New Delhi. This initiative aims to provide a great platform to students across the country to create and modify 3D digital designs with a free flow of creativity and imagination.

 

5. Manipur Forest Department launches Website with German assistance: Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Awangbow Newmai launched website for the Community-based Sustainable Forest Management for Water Resource Conservation in Manipur (COSFOM) www.cosfom.mn.gov.in at the main conference hall, Forest Headquarters, Sanjenthong. COSFOM is a component under the Indo-German Programme ‘Climate Change Adaption in the Himalaya’ with a focus on sustainable community forestry, soil and water conservation. A project of the Government of India supported by the Federal Government of Germany through KfW, a German development bank in Frankfurt with Manipur Forest Department as the executing agency and managed by the Community Forestry and Water Conservation Society-Manipur (CF & WCS).

 

6. Cabinet approves MoU between India, UAE for scientific and technical cooperation: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding on scientific and technical cooperation between National Centre of Meteorology of the United Arab Emirates and Ministry of Earth Sciences. The MoU will enable sharing of knowledge, data and operational products for meteorological, seismological and oceanic services between both the countries. This MoU will facilitate exchange of scientific and technical information, deployment of Meteorological observation networks over ocean, mutual cooperation in the development of special capacities and research of Tsunami models for faster and more reliable forecasts of Tsunamis.

 

7. 16th NDRF Raising Day: 19 January 2021: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated its 16th Raising Day on 19th January. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a specialized multi-skilled, humanitarian force of the country, came into existence on January 19th, 2006 has been playing a vital role in Disaster Management and Community awareness for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the country. The NDRF has earned good name and fame nationally and internationally with its selfless service and unmatched professionalism in disaster management. NDRF has saved more than One lakh lives in its 3100 operations and rescued/evacuated over 6.7 lakh people during disasters.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Germany passes bill mandating large companies to appoint women in executive boards: Germany’s Cabinet approved legislation requiring some larger companies to ensure that at least one woman serves on their management boards. The bill mandates that companies with over 2,000 employees that are listed on the stock exchange and have boards with more than three members have at least one woman and one man on their boards. The legislation requires parliamentary approval before it becomes law. It adds to existing rules requiring leading German companies to ensure that women make up at least 30 percent of their supervisory boards.

 

2. WHO, UNICEF, MSF, and IFRC collaborate to establish global Ebola vaccine stockpile: The four leading international health and humanitarian organisations announced the establishment of a global Ebola vaccine stockpile to ensure outbreak response. The effort to establish the stockpile was led by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, which includes the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The stockpile will allow countries, with the support of humanitarian organisations, to contain future Ebola epidemics by ensuring timely access to vaccines for populations at risk, during outbreaks.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth festival 2021 begins: In Ladakh, the inaugural edition of the Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sport & Youth Festival 2021 kicked off on 18th January 2021. The 13- Day Zanskar Winter Sports Festival aims to open a new arena in Ladakh for adventure and Nature loving tourists and a boost for local Youth to hone up their skills in winter sports to represent India. A series of snow-based activities will be held for the next 13 days to promote tourism and economic activities in the Snowbound, picturesque Zanskar.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: Radha Krishna Mathur.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Banks Gross NPA May Rise to 13.5% by September 2021: RBI Financial Stability Report: Banks’ gross non-performing assets may rise to 13.5 per cent by September 2021, from 7.5 per cent in September 2020 under the baseline scenario, according to Financial Stability Report (FSR) released by the Reserve Bank of India. If the macroeconomic environment worsens into a severe stress scenario, the GNPA ratio may escalate to 14.8 per cent, the report said. Among the bank groups, public sector banks’ (PSBs) GNPA ratio of 9.7 per cent in September 2020 may rise to 16.2 per cent by September 2021 under the baseline scenario. The gross non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio of private sector banks (PVBs) and foreign banks (FBs) may increase from 4.6 per cent and 2.5 per cent to 7.9 per cent and 5.4 per cent, respectively, over the same period.

 

2. New Foreign Trade Policy to come into effect from April 1: The meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was held on the subject “New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26″. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Hardeep Singh Puri, and attended by Members of Parliament and senior officers of the Ministry. During the meeting, it was informed that that the new Foreign Trade Policy-FTP will come into effect from 1st April 2021 for a period of five years. The policy will strive to make India a leader in the area of international trade and channelize the synergies gained through merchandise and services exports for growth and employment with a goal to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy. The FTP 2015-20 came into effect on 1st April 2015 and the same was extended by one year till 31 March this year due to Covid-19 pandemic.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Biswajit Chatterjee conferred ‘Indian Personality of the Year’ award at IFFI: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announced veteran actor, director and singer Biswajit Chatterjee as the recipient of the ‘Indian Personality of the Year’ award. The 84-year-old actor is known for featuring in films like “Bees Saal Baad”, “Night In London” and “April Fool”. Chatterjee started his career in the late 1950s and went on to work in films like “Biwi Aur Makan”, “Sagaai”, “Kohra” among others. In 1975, he directed and produced “Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja”, featuring himself along with Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Rekha.

The honour aims to celebrate film personalities for their exemplary contribution to cinema. During Javadekar’s address, he also made a strong pitch for the film industry as well as other private companies to start participating in the annual festival from its next edition.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Legendary classical musician Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan passes away: Legendary Indian classical musician and Padma Vibhushan awardee Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan passed away. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, the Padma Bhusan in 2006, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2018. In 2003, he was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, which is the highest recognition given to practising Indian artists by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Daily GK Updates – 18th Jan, 2021

                                        NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre launches Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0: The Government of India launched the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana on 15 January 2021. The scheme has been rolled out for the current financial year, ending March 2021, and will be implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

About Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana-3.0: Under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana-3.0, skills training would be provided in 600 districts across all states, (except four states including Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal) to 8 lakh candidates over next three months with an outlay of Rs 948.90 crore with a focus on Covid-related skills. The training will be imparted through 729 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs), empanelled non-PMKK training centres and more than 200 industrial training institutes (ITIs). Further, a five-year PMKVY will be launched in 2021-22 with an enhanced target of skilling 1.5 crore youth.

Note: Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: Mahendra Nath Pandey.

 

2. Piyush Goyal inaugurates the ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’: The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the two-day ‘Prarambh’, Startup India International Summit in New Delhi on 15 January 2021. The Summit has been organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under M/o Commerce & Industry.

About the summit: The inaugural event was participated by the members of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries. The ‘Prarambh’ Summit will provide a platform to the startups and young minds from around the world to come together and collaborate to work collectively to come with new ideas, innovation and invention. The focus of the Summit will be on enhancing multilateral cooperation and engagement with countries from around the globe to collectively develop and strengthen the startup ecosystems. The Summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Startup India initiative, launched by the Prime Minister on 16 January 2016.

 

3. Rajnath Singh unveils India’s 1st indigenously developed driverless metro car: Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has unveiled India’s first ‘Driverless Metro Car’ on 15 January 2021 during a function held at BEML’s Bangalore Complex. The indigenously designed & developed state-of-the-art Driverless Metro trains are being manufactured at BEML Bangaluru manufacturing facility, for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). BEML recently opened its Depot office at Charkop Metro Depot, MMRDA, Mumbai for commissioning, testing and round-the-clock services for Driverless Metro cars. BEML bagged a total order of 576 cars for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)’s MRS1 project and the supply is scheduled progressively up to January 2024.

 

4. ISRO to adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Labs across country to promote education: Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO will adopt one hundred Atal Tinkering Labs across the country to promote education in the field of Space Education and Space Technology related innovations for school students. The collaboration between NITI Aayog and Indian Space Research Organization is one of the prime examples of such effort. An Atal Tinkering Lab provides a makerspace where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands on do-it-yourself mode and learn innovation skills.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian-American Garima Verma named digital director in Office of the First Lady: Incoming First Lady, Jill Biden has named Indian-American Garima Verma as her digital director and Michael LaRosa press secretary, the Biden transition team has announced.  She served as audience development and content strategist on the Biden-Harris campaign. Before joining the campaign, Verma was a volunteer with the content team, designing graphics for distribution to Biden-Harris volunteers across the country.

About Garima Verma: Verma, who was born in India, grew up in Ohio and the Central Valley of California. She previously worked in the entertainment space, marketing films at Paramount Pictures and television shows at The Walt Disney Company’s ABC Network, and media agency Horizon Media. Verma has also served as an independent consultant in marketing, design and digital for a number of small business and non-profit clients.

 

2. UN Rights Body elects Fiji in First Ever Presidential Vote: The UN Human Rights Council elected Fiji’s ambassador as its 2021 president in an unprecedented secret ballot after a diplomatic stand-off blocked the usual consensus decision. Fiji’s ambassador in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem Khan, who served as the council’s vice president in 2020 and is considered a rights champion, won with 29 out of 47 votes.

She ran against two other candidates from the UN’s Asia-Pacific regional group of countries: Bahrain’s ambassador Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri and his counterpart from Uzbekistan, Ulugbek Lapasov, who received 14 and four votes respectively. The president mainly oversees council meetings but is also in charge of appointing the independent experts who investigate countries’ alleged rights abuses and can determine how hard to crack down on cases of state intimidation against those who cooperate with the body.

Note: UN Human Rights Council Founded: 15 March 2006; UN Human Rights Council Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

 

3. India and Japan inks MoU to enhance cooperation in ICT: India and Japan have signed an MoU to enhance cooperation in the field of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) via videoconferencing. The MoU was signed between Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota.

Under the MoU: Both countries will enhance mutual cooperation in the field of 5G technologies, telecom security, submarine optical fibre cable system to islands of India, spectrum management, smart cities, high altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management and public safety etc.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. YES Bank launches wellness themed credit card: Yes Bank has announced its partnership with Aditya Birla Wellness Private Limited to launch the ‘YES BANK Wellness’ and ‘YES BANK Wellness Plus’ Credit Cards – aimed at the holistic health, self-care and wellness of consumers. This is an innovative step to encourage and promote self-care, mental and physical well-being.

About the Initiative: Consumers can now enjoy the bouquet of complementary health benefits by simply registering on the Aditya Birla Multiply App. Benefits include reward points, diet plans, consultations etc The mobile app allows consumers to avail complimentary benefits such as annual health check-up, round the clock doctor or counsellor helpline, in-studio or home-based workout sessions, personalized diet plans, among others, right at their fingertips.

Note: YES bank HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra; YES bank MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar.

 

2. ICICI Bank ties up with fintech Niyo to issue prepaid cards to MSMEs: ICICI Bank, a leading Indian private sector bank, and Niyo, a new age fintech company announced a tie-up to issue prepaid cards to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) workers. MSMEs will now be able to get ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ powered by Visa, for their blue-collar workers. Benefits include:

(1) With this, MSMEs can upload the salaries of their workers on the card, which the workers can then utilise as per their need seamlessly.

(2) These workers are mostly under-banked and are deprived of banking facilities.

(3) The ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ allows an individual to receive funds up to Rs 1 lakh into the card account. It offers convenience and safety of digital banking to the blue-collar workforce while providing a state-of-the-art salary disbursement solution to the employers.

(4) Any MSME can tie-up with Niyo to avail of the prepaid card. After the tie-up, cards are issued to the workers at their workplace itself while their KYC verification is done simultaneously using a biometric device.

(5) Once activated, workers can use the card to withdraw funds at ATMs, make online transactions on e-commerce portals and make payment by swiping the card at Point of Sale (PoS) machines.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. TEPC appoints Sandeep Aggarwal as new Chairman: The Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) has appointed Sandeep Aggarwal as the new Chairman. Aggarwal, the Managing Director and Promoter of Delhi-based Paramount Communications, will take over from Shyamal Ghosh, ex-Telecom Secretary. TEPC is an independent body set up by the government to promote and develop the export of telecom equipment and services.

 

2. CCI approves Manipal Health’s 100% acquisition of Columbia Asia Hospitals: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) gave its approval to Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd (MHEPL) for the acquisition of 100% shareholding in Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt Ltd. The development comes after the Bengaluru-based MEHPL had entered into a share purchase agreement with the US-based hospital chain in October last year. The deal was valued at Rs 2,100 crore. The focus is to develop an affordable, high quality healthcare framework through its multi-specialty and tertiary care delivery spectrum and further extend it to homecare.

 

3. Airtel, NSIC partner to digitally transform small businesses: Telecom major Bharti Airtel announced its partnership with National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) to accelerate the digital transformation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. This partnership with NSIC envisages digital transformation of this critical sector as key to the Central government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ for enabling MSMEs to scale up faster by ways of adopting digital ways of doing business.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Renowned astrophysicist Professor Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre passes away: Renowned astrophysicist Professor Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre passed away in Mumbai. He was 84. Prof Chitre’s scientific research is focused on solar physics, astrophysics and gravitational lensing.He has done extensive research on the Sun’s magnetic activity cycle, the solar dynamo theory, and the role of neutrals in the solar atmosphere. A recipient of Padma Bhushan, he retired as a senior professor from TIFR in Mumbai in 2001. He was the former president of Astronomical Society of India and was a member of multiple committees in recent decades which shaped India’s science policy.

Daily GK Updates – 17th Jan, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. No foreign leader as chief guest on Republic Day this year: According to External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, due to the global COVID-19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign Head of State or Head of Government as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day event. President Ramnath Kovind will take the salute at the parade this time. This will be the first time in over five decades that India will not have a chief guest at the Republic Day parade. This comes days after United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled his visit to India. Boris Jonhson was scheduled to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade on January 26.

History of Republic Day event: In 2020, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest. The last time such a situation arose was in 1966 when no Chief Guest was present at the event which was held days after the demise of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent and the death of nuclear scientist Homi Bhabha in an air crash. Foreign leaders have graced the Republic Day parades every year barring 1952, 1953 and 1966. Indonesian President Sukarno was the first chief guest to grace Republic Day in 1950.

 

2. Dushyant Dave resigns as SC Bar Association (SCBA) President: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, Dushyant Dave has resigned from his post with immediate effect, he has forfeited his right to continue. Acting SCBA Secretary Rohit Panday confirmed the development that the senior advocate has resigned with immediate effect. About the Supreme Court bar Association:

(1) The SCBA is an Indian bar association, comprising the practising lawyers of the Supreme Court of India.

(2) The SCBA has been in the vanguard of the movement for upholding, maintaining and consolidation of the constitutional values of democracy, rule of law and independence of Judiciary. In its meeting dated 4th May 1951.

(3) The Committee in its resolution observed that no attempt should be made to abridge or limit the Fundamental Rights.

(4) The Committee further pointed out that the Constitution was in operation only for a short period of sixteen months and the Supreme Court had no occasion to pronounce on the validity of various State laws.

Note: Supreme Court Bar Association Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

 

3. Najma Heptulla Releases book titled Making of a General-A Himalayan Echo: Manipur Governor Dr Najma Heptulla released a book titled “Making of a General-A Himalayan Echo” virtually. The book has been authored by (Retd) Lt General Konsam Himalay Singh, in which he has conveyed his dreams and views as well as also highlighted about Manipur, the “Land of Emeralds”. “Making of a General’ is the memoir of Lt Gen (Dr) Himalay Singh who has traced his journey from a small village in Manipur to becoming the first person from North East India to hold the rank of a Three Star General of the Indian Army. Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd is the publisher of the book.

 

4. IFFI 2021 to celebrate the work of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray: The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be celebrating the work of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray by screening five of his classics. As part of the tribute, the festival will showcase Ray’s acclaimed “Pather Panchali”, the first film of his The Apu Trilogy, 1964 romantic drama “Charulata”, “Sonar Kella”, his 1977 Hindi directorial debut “Shatranj Ke Khilari” and “Ghare Baire” (1984). 12 films for Festival Kaleidoscope & 50 films for World Panorama section were unveiled too.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Donald Trump becomes the first U.S. President to be impeached twice: President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House for a historic second time on January 13, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office. He was first impeached in 2019 over his Ukraine dealings. The House voted 232-197 to impeach Mr Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent pro-Mr. Trump loyalists stormed the U.S. Capitol, urged on by the President’s calls for them to “fight like hell” against the election results.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

                        

1. FSS and IPPB join hands to promote financial inclusion: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), a leading payment processor and provider of integrated payment products, has partnered with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to promote financial inclusion among underserved and unbanked segments.

As part of the collaboration: IPPB will use FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) to deliver interoperable and affordable doorstep banking services to customers across India. Customers of any bank can access their Aadhaar-linked bank account by simply using their fingerprint for cash withdrawal, balance enquiry and transfer of funds into an operating IPPB account, right at their doorstep. This strategic partnership offers significant opportunities to bring millions of unbanked customers into the financial mainstream. Currently, there are nearly 410 million Jan Dhan accounts in India.

About FSS’ Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS): FSS’ AePS solution combines the low-cost structure of a branchless business model, digital distribution, and micro-targeting that lowers acquisition costs and improves reach. The operation of FSS’ AePS solution is based on agents performing transactions on behalf of customers using a tablet, micro-ATM or a POS device. The system is device agnostic and can accept transactions originating from any terminal.

Note: MD and CEO of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB): J Venkatramu; India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Fitch Ratings Projects GDP of India at -9.4% in FY21: The Fitch Ratings expect the gross domestic product (GDP) of India to contract by 9.4 per cent in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021). Fitch further projects the GDP to expand by 11 per cent in FY22 (April 2021 to March 2022).

Note: Fitch Ratings Headquarters: New York, United States; Fitch Ratings CEO: Paul Taylor; Fitch Ratings Founder: John Knowles Fitch; Fitch Ratings Founded: 1914.

 

2. Intel appoints Pat Gelsinger as new CEO: Intel has appointed Pat Gelsinger as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective Feb. 15, 2021. Gelsinger will also join the Intel board of directors upon assuming the role. He will succeed Bob Swan, who will remain CEO until Feb. 15.

About Pat Gelsinger: Gelsinger is an industry veteran with more than four decades of technology and leadership experience, including 30 years at Intel where he began his career. Pat is a proven technology leader with a distinguished track record of innovation, talent development, and deep knowledge of Intel. He will continue a values-based cultural leadership approach with a hyper-focus on operational execution.

Note: Intel Founded: 18 July 1968; Intel Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States; Intel Founders: Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce.

 

3. Tesla sets up India subsidiary in Bengaluru: Elon Musk-owned electric vehicle (EV) company Tesla has registered a fully-owned subsidiary in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Tesla, the world’s most valued carmaker has incorporated a fully owned subsidiary ahead as a first step to set up an R&D unit and a manufacturing plant for its electric vehicles in the country. Tesla’s global senior director David Jon Feinstein, chief accounting officer Vaibhav Taneja and Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Venkatrangam Sreeram are on the board of the India unit, Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt Ltd. The office, situated on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru, is registered with a total paid-up capital of Rs 1,00,000 and authorised share capital of Rs 15 lakh.

Note: Tesla Founded: 1 July 2003; Tesla Headquarters: California, United States.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Army inks $20 mn contract to buy SWITCH drones: The Indian Army has recently signed a contract with Mumbai-based drone manufacturing company, ideaForge, to procure high-altitude variant of SWITCH unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The total cost of the deal is approximately USD 20 million. However, the quantity of UAVs to be procured is not disclosed. These UAVs will be delivered to the Indian Army over a period of one year.

About SWITCH UAV: SWITCH UAV is an indigenous system built to cater for the most demanding surveillance operations of the Indian Forces. This Fixed-Wing VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) UAV can be deployed at high altitude and harsh environments for day and night surveillance in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It is man-portable and has the highest time on target compared to any other UAV in its class.

Note: IdeaForge CEO: Ankit Mehta; IdeaForge HQ:  Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. DRDO develops India’s first Indigenously-Developed 9mm Machine Pistol: India’s first indigenous 9mm Machine Pistol has been jointly developed by DRDO and Indian Army. Infantry School, Mhow and DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune have designed and developed this weapon using their respective expertise in the complementary areas. The weapon has been developed in a record time of four months. The weapon is aptly named “Asmi” meaning “Pride”, “Self-Respect” & “Hard Work”. About the Machine Pistol:

(1) The Machine Pistol fires the in-service 9mm ammunition and sports an upper receiver made from aircraft-grade Aluminium and lower receiver from carbon fibre.

(2) The 3D Printing process has been used in designing and prototyping of various parts including trigger components made by metal 3D printing.

(3) The weapon has huge potential in Armed forces as a personal weapon for heavy weapon detachments, commanders, tank and aircraft crews, drivers/dispatch riders, radio/radar operators, Closed Quarter Battle, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations etc.

(4) This is also likely to find huge employability with the central and state police organizations as well as VIP protection duties and Policing.

(5) The Machine Pistol is likely to have a production cost under rupees 50000 each and has potential for exports.

Note: Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development & Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.