Daily GK Updates – 19th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rajnath Singh launches e-Chhawani portal for online civic services to Cantt Boards:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently launched an online portal ‘e-Chhawani’ and mobile app, to facilitate ‘ease of living’ and ‘ease of doing’ for the residents of the Cantonment Boards across the country. The ‘e-Chhawani’ portal will provide online municipal services to more than 20 lakh citizens across all 62 Cantonment Boards of India while sitting at home.

About the portal: The portal can be accessed at https://echhawani.gov.in/. The residents of cantonment areas can register their complaints regarding civic issues and even get their documents like trade licence, sewerage connectivity applications through the portal. Jointly been developed by eGov Foundation, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), and National Informatics Centre (NIC). A cantonment board is a civic administration body in India under control of the Ministry of Defence. It takes care of mandatory duties such as the provision of public health, water supply, sanitation, primary education, and street lighting etc.

 

2. Puducherry launches campaign to become Covid-free by February 28: In Puducherry, a campaign has been launched titled “Zero Covid by Feb28” to ensure that there are no COVID-19 cases by the end of February 2021, in the union territory. The overall caseload in Puducherry was 39,448 while 38,533 had recovered so far, leaving 258 active cases. Under the campaign, all those who had come into contact with people infected with coronavirus would be identified and provided treatment, so that the further spread of the pathogen could be prevented.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (UT): Dr Kiran Bedi; Chief Minister of Puducherry: V. Narayanasamy.

 

3. Justice PuligoruVenkata Sanjay Kumar sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur HC: Justice PuligoruVenkata Sanjay Kumar has been sworn-in as the Chief Justice of Manipur High Court at Raj Bhavan, Imphal. He was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur by the President of India. Prior to this, he served as a Judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Note: Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh; Governor: Najma Heptulla.

 

4. Indian astronomers detect huge optical flare in black hole ‘BL Lacertae’: Indian astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding supermassive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae, analysis of which can help trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this emission, the Department of Science and Technology said. Blazars or feeding supermassive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism.

Note: Minister of Science and Technology: Dr Harsh Vardhan.

 

5. IIT Bombay launches fundraising campaign ‘Cherish IIT Bombay 2021’: IIT Bombay has launched its first-ever annual fundraising campaign in India, Cherish IIT Bombay 2021. As per information shared by the IIT, the funds will be used for the creation of world-class laboratory complexes, modernization of lecture halls and continuation of awards to attract and retain faculty. The donations made to IIT Bombay by corporate bodies and individuals are 100% tax-deductible under section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act.

 

6. Soil Health Card Day: 19th February: Every year India observes the Soil Health Card Day on 19 February to commemorate the launch of the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, and create awareness about the benefits of the scheme. 2021 marks the sixth year of the launch of the SHC Scheme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme on 19th February 2015 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The scheme aims at issuing soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in the soil. The scheme ensures additional income to farmers by an increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. China Overtakes the US as Largest Trading Partner of European Union: The People’s Republic of China has overtaken the United States (US) as the biggest trading partner of the European Union (EU) in 2020, according to the data by the European Union statistics agency, Eurostat. Britain, which left the European Union in 2020, was the third-largest trading partner for the bloc, behind China and the United States. The trade volume of the EU with China reached 586 billion euros ($711 billion) in 2020, compared to 555 billion euros ($673 billion) for the US. Bilateral trade with the UK reached 444.7 billion euros.

The EU exports to China rose by 2.2 per cent to 202.5 billion euros while imports from China increased by 5.6 per cent to 383.5 billion euros. Similarly, EU exports to the United States fell by 13.2 per cent in the same period and imports by 8.2 per cent. Exports to the UK fell by 13.2 per cent, while imports dropped by 13.9 per cent.

 

2. Ajay Mathur elected new DG at special assembly of ISA: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has announced Dr Ajay Mathur as its new Director-General following his election at the first special assembly of ISA members. DrMathur replaces MrUpendraTripathy, who has served as Director-General since the ISA was founded in 2015.

About the International Solar Alliance: ISA accelerate the demand for and use of safe, sustainable, and affordable solar energy for all. It aims to mobilize over $1 trillion USD of investment into solar projects by 2030 through focused advocacy, policy and regulatory support, capacity building, and overcoming perceived investment barriers.

Note: International Solar Alliance Headquarters: Gurugram; International Solar Alliance Founded: 30 November 2015; International Solar AllianceFounded: Paris, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. NamanOjha announces retirement from all forms of cricket: Former India wicketkeeper-batsman NamanOjha has announced his retirement, from all formats of cricket. He made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh in 2000-01. The 37-year-old from Madhya Pradesh holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the Ranji Trophy. He has also represented India in all three formats, featuring in one Test, one ODI and two T20 Internationals.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI constitues 8-member expert panel for strenthening Urban Co-operative Banks: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an eight-member expert committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to examine issues and suggest a road map for strengthening the sector. The committee will be chaired by the former RBI Deputy Governor N. S. Vishwanathan.

Role of the Committee: Assess the regulatory measures taken by the RBI and other authorities in respect of UCBs and their impact over the last five years to identify key constraints and enablers in fulfilment of their socio-economic objective. Review the current regulatory approach and recommend suitable measures to strengthen the sector. Suggest effective measures for faster rehabilitation and resolution of UCBs and assess the potential for consolidation in the sector

Other members:

(1) Harsh Kumar Bhanwala: Former Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) ,

(2) MukundChitale: Chartered Accountant

(3) NC Muniyappa and RN Joshi: retired Indian Administrative Service officers

(4) MS Sriram: IIM Bengaluru Professor

(5) Jyotindra Mehta: President of the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies

(6) Neeraj Nigam: Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, RBI

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

 

2. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance launches new product ‘ICICI Pru Guaranteed Income for Tomorrow’: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched a new goal based savings product – ‘ICICI Pru Guaranteed Income for Tomorrow’ (GIFT), which provides guaranteed income to policyholders to help them achieve their long-term financial goals. This non-participating savings product can enable customers to eliminate the uncertainty of future income streams to a large extent. The life cover provides financial security to the family, which is essential for a robust financial plan.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Delhi Police receives Best Marching Contingent Trophy-2021:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the trophies of best marching contingents of the Republic Day Parade 2021 in New Delhi on February 15, 2021. Jat Regimental Centre bagged the trophy of best marching contingent among the Tri-Services while Delhi Police was adjudged as the best marching contingent among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and other auxiliary services. Brigadier Adarsh K Butail and Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Virendra received the trophy on behalf of the Jat Regimental Centre and Special Commissioner of Police Robin Hibu and Assistant Commissioner of Police VivekBhagat, Commander received the trophy on behalf of Delhi Police. The two contingents were adjudged on the basis of assessment by two panels of judges.

 

2. Theodore Baskaran won Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020: S. Theodore Baskaran who is a writer, a historian, a naturalist and an activist has won the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award, 2020. The award was instituted by the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. Theodore Baskaran was chosen for the award in the light of his dedication to the wildlife conservation. He won the award for his writing prowess in English and Tamil contributing towards the conservation discourse. He was also chosen for the award in the backdrop of inspiring the young naturalists. Some of his books in the English language include- Dance of the Sarus: Essays of a Wandering Naturalist; Book of Indian Dogs and A Day with the Shama: Essays on Nature.

About Theodore on Conservation: Theodore is of the view that any conservation initiative should be in the local language in order to gain momentum as a people’s movement. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award (IyalVirudhu) for his writing on nature in Tamil. The award was given by the Canada Literary Garden in the year 2014 in Toronto.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Bihar-Jharkhand Governor & Jurist M Rama Jois, passes away: Noted jurist and a former Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand, Justice (Retd.) M. Rama Jois has passed away. The former Rajya Sabha MP, had also served as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was also a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India.

Daily GK Updates – 18th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Gadkari launches India’s first CNG Tractor: Union road transport and highways minister, Nitin Gadkari has launched India’s first-ever diesel tractor, converted to a much cleaner (compressed natural gas) CNG variant. With this, farmers will be able to save more than ₹1 trillion annually on fuel cost, which will help them to improve their livelihood.

About the initiative: This conversion is jointly done by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and TomasettoAchille India. The CNG tractor will help farmers to increase their income, by lowering costs and help to create job opportunities in rural India. The farmers can save up to 50 per cent on the fuel cost as the current Diesel prices are around 77 rupees per litre whereas CNG is only 42 rupees per kilogram. The conversion from diesel to CNG will be beneficial as it is a clean fuel with the lowest carbon and pollutant content. It is also economical as it has zero lead and is non-corrosive, non-dilutive and non-contaminating which helps in increasing the life of the engine.

 

2. India’s Homegrown App MapMyIndia Ties up with ISRO: India’s homegrown app MapMyIndia ties up with ISRO to build an alternative to Google Maps. The agreement between ISRO and MapmyIndia is suggested to become an alternative to Google maps and similar platforms. The collaboration with MapMyIndia will turn out to be a benefit for users because it will use digital maps of MapmyIndia and satellite imagery and earth observation data of ISRO.

According to this collaboration the mapping data along with the information regarding pollution, agricultural output, weather, land-use changes, flood and several disasters will be visible to the users. Rohan Verma, CEO of MapmyIndia, called the agreement a path-breaking milestone with the aim of fulfilling the objective of Atamanirbhar Bharat. About the app:

(1) The app will benefit the Indians because it will ensure the maps according to the true sovereignty of India while depicting the Indian borders as per the Indian government. The Department of Space signed an MoU with CE Info Systems Private Limited, a geospatial technology company owned by MapmyIndia.

(2) The most exhaustive digital map database of the country was created indigenously over the last 25 years by MapmyIndia covers 7.5 lakh Indian villages, 7500+ cities at the building and the street level which are connected through a road network of almost 63 lakh kilometres.

(3) ISRO generates earth observations and satellite imagery through its satellite constellation. ISRO will be more responsive in terms of satellite imagery needed by the Indians, required especially during crises and disasters.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

3. Skill ministry launches fellowship programme in partnership with IIMs: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme in partnership with nine Indian Institutes’ of Management (IIM) across India. Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister MahendraNath Pandey chaired the event on ‘Transforming skilling through strategic partnerships under SANKALP’ and rolled out the MGNF and other initiatives.

About the programme: The two-year government-funded programme has been launched under the World Bank loan assisted programme SANKALP (Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion). The selected fellows under the programme will be given a stipend of about Rs 50,000 per month during the first year and Rs 60,000 per month during the second year. Initially, the fellows will be imparted training by the nine top IIMs of the country and after that, the fellows will work on strengthening the District Skill Committees and the District Skill administration.

 

4. 11th Edition of ‘RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav’ inaugurated in West Bengal: The Governor of West Bengal, Shri JagdeepDhankhar inaugurated the 11th RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav at Cooch Behar Palace at West Bengal. The RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Culture, organised under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Programme, since 2015, to celebrate the idea of unity in diversity. The event was inaugurated in the presence of Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel.

About the RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav: RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav is a platform to showcase, folk and tribal art, dance, music, cuisines, and culture of one state in other states and providing an effective opportunity to the artists and artisans to support their livelihood.

Note: West Bengal Governor: JagdeepDhankhar; West Bengal Capital: Kolkata; West Bengal CM: Mamata Banerjee.

 

5. Kanchoth festival celebrated across J&K’s Chenab valley: The ancient Kanchoth festival, a symbol of ancient Nag culture, was observed with religious fervour and gaiety across the Chenab valley region of Jammu and Kashmir. The festival is celebrated by locals, mainly Nag followers who believe that on this day of Gouri Tritiya, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and the latter insisted on a throne made of snow as her wedding gift.

The festival is celebrated by locals, mainly Nag followers who believe that on this day of Gouri Tritiya, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and the latter insisted on a throne made of snow as her wedding gift.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir: Manoj Sinha.

 

6. Peter Mukerjea pens memoir ‘Starstruck: Confessions of a TV Executive’: Former media baron Peter Mukerjea has come out with his memoir ‘Starstruck: Confessions of a TV executive’. The book is presented as a recollection of his experiences in the satellite television industry in India and the changes it has gone through over the years. Mukerjea is the former chief executive of Star India. Through this book, he has shared his journey, to highlight and showcase the plenty of mistakes made and the plenty of lessons learnt over almost three decades. It must be remembered that Mukerjea was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November 2015 in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. ‘PahelaPhagun’ spring festival celebrated in Bangladesh: The first day of the spring called ‘PahelaPhagun’ was celebrated in Dhaka, Bangladesh despite the continued shadow of Corona pandemic in the country. Cultural organisations held programmes at different venues in the city to herald the beginning of the spring. Programmes were held at the SuhrawardyUdyan, NandanManch of Shilpakala Academy and several other locations.The JatiyaBasantaUtsabUdjapanParishad organized the programme at the SuhrawardyUdyan in Dhaka. Young women wearing yellow saris and youth dressed in ‘Punjabis’ took part in the festivity. The programme featured dance and musical performances. The traditional programme of ‘BasantaUtsab’ at the Fine Arts faculty in Dhaka university was cancelled since educational institutions have been closed till Feb. 28 by the government due to the Corona pandemic.

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

 

2. Dharmendra Pradhan Participates in 11th IEA, IEF, OPEC Symposium: The 11th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks was held virtually on February 17, 2021, under the patronage of the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud. From India, the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan, participated in the symposium. The trilateral symposium discussed the long-term outlooks of key producer and consumer countries, apart from the comparative analysis of short, medium, and long-term energy outlooks that OPEC and the IEA published in 2020.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Assam government appoints Hima Das as DSP: Star sprinter Hima Das has been appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police by the Assam government. The 21-year-old from Assam, known as ‘Dhing Express’ referring to the town near her native village, is currently training at the NIS-Patiala and will be aiming to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics as the athletics calendar starts in a few days. The reigning world junior 400m champion, who won a silver in women’s 400m in the 2018 Asian Games, was also part of the gold-winning women’s 400m relay and mixed 400m relay quartets in the quadrennial event in Jakarta.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Finance Ministry to infuse Rs 3,000 crore in general insurance companies this quarter: The Finance Ministry will infuse Rs 3,000 crore capital into state-owned general insurance companies during the current quarter in a bid to improve their financial health. The cabinet had also decided to increase the authorised share capital of National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) to Rs 7,500 crore and that of United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) and Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL) to Rs 5,000 crore each to give effect to the capital infusion decision. The capital infusion will enable the three public sector general insurance companies to improve their financial and solvency position, meet the insurance needs of the economy, absorb changes and enhance the capacity to raise resources and improve risk management.

 

2. Equitas Small Finance Bank launches country’s first FASTag powered truck terminal: Equitas Small Finance Bank said it has launched a FASTag powered truck terminal at Khalapur, in Maharashtra. Equitas Small Finance Bank (Equitas SFB) has partnered with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) and Ocean Highway Facilities and Solutions Pvt Ltd for launching country’s first FASTag powered truck terminal at Khalapur, Maharashtra on the YashwantraoChavan Mumbai – Pune Expressway. The terminal has a capacity of 160 trucks, which can be parked at any given point in time. At this juncture more than 350 trucks visit the terminal in a day.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Four Women Scientists wins SERB Women Excellence Award 2021: The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has announced the SERB Women Excellence Award for the year 2021, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Four young women fellows of National Science Academies have been awarded SERB Women Excellence Award 2021.

The winners include:

(1) DrShobhna Kapoor – Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, working in the area of Chemical Biology with expertise in ‘Host-Pathogen Interactions and Membrane Biology, Chemical Biology and Biophysics’

(2) Dr Antara Banerjee – Scientist B National Institute For Research In Reproductive Health, Mumbai, Maharashtra from the Health Sciences area with expertise in Signal Transduction, Biology of Reproduction and Endocrinology,

(3) DrSonu Gandhi – Scientist D from National Institute Of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad from Bionanotechnology area focusing on Nanosensors, Design and Fabrication of Label-free Biosensors

(4) DrRitu Gupta – Assistant Professor at Indian Institute Of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan working on Nanotechnology with expertise in Materials Science, Nanodevices and Sensors, Health & Energy

About SERB Women Excellence Award 2021: It is a one-time award being presented by SERB to women scientists since 2013 to support basic research in the frontier areas of science and engineering. The women scientists should be below 40 years of age. She must have received recognition from any one or more of the National Academies such as Young Scientist Medal, Young Associateship, etc. The award provides a grant of Rs. 15 lakhs for a period of three years to the awardees to pursue their research ideas.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Indo-Pak War Veteran retired Major General BK Mahapatra passes away: War veteran Major General (retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra, who had participated in major battles including the 1962 Indo-China war, and 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war, has passed away. Hailing from Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Mahapatra was commissioned into armoured corps (Tanks) of the Indian Army as a Combat Officer and was popularly known as ‘Tank Man’. He was conferred with the prestigious AtiVishishtSeva Medal (AVSM).

Daily GK Updates – 17th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt launches new Central Sector Scheme titled ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs: The Ministry of Agriculture has said that the government has  launched a new Central Sector Scheme titled ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)’ and it has committed resources in this regard with a budgetary provision of Rs 6,865 crore. The FPOs are to be developed to produce clusters, wherein agricultural and horticultural products are grown for leveraging economies of scale and improving market access for members. FPOs will be provided financial assistance uptoRs 18 lakh per FPO for a period of three  years. In addition to this, provision has been made for matching equity grant up to two thousand rupees per farmer member of FPO with a limit of 15 lakh rupees per FPO and a credit guarantee facility uptoRs two crore of project loan per FPO from eligible lending institutions to ensure institutional credit accessibility to FPOs.

 

2. Goa becomes 6th State in country to successfully undertake Urban Local Bodies reforms: Goa has become the 6th State in the country to successfully undertake Urban Local Bodies reforms stipulated by the Department of Expenditure. Finance Ministry said, the state has now become eligible to mobilise additional financial resources of 223 crore rupees through Open Market Borrowings. Goa has joined five other states – Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan and Telangana, who have completed Urban Local Bodies reforms.

 

3. CCEA approves proposal of Department of Fertilizers for Grant-in-aid of Rs 100 crore to BVFCL: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has given its nod to a proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for Grant-in-aid of Rs 100 crore to Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizers Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup in Assam to sustain operations of it’s urea manufacturing units. BVFCL is a Public Sector Undertaking which  is situated at North-Eastern part of India, which plays an important role in economic growth in the region. The grant in aid of Rs 100 crore to BVFCL will restore the urea production capacity of 3.90 Lakh metric tonnes  per annum and ensure timely availability of Urea to the Tea Industry and Farming Sector in the entire North Eastern region specially Assam.

 

4. Govt allocates ₹16000 crore for Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana for 2021-22: Union government has allocated ₹16,000 crores for Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY) for the fiscal year 2021-22 to boost the safety of farmers’ crops and to ensure that maximum benefit of crop insurance reaches farmers. This is a budgetary increase of around ₹305 crore as against the previous fiscal year 2020-21, which reiterates the government’s commitment towards the growth of agriculture sector in the country. The scheme extends coverage for the entire cropping cycle from pre-sowing to post-harvest including coverage for losses arising out of prevented sowing and mid-season adversities.

 

5. Odisha to implement REWARD project with assistance from World Bank: Odisha Cabinet headed by its Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved the proposal for implementation of the 'Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD)' project. The estimated expenditure for the project is INR 500 Crores, of which the World Bank will provide assistance of INR 350 Crores. The project is being implemented to ensure efficient water management & enhanced cropping area. The implementation period of the project is 6 years beginning from April, 2021. Around 1.9 Lakh People including 10, 000 Landless People will be benefited because of the "REWARD' Projects. It will be implemented in 7 districts of Odisha - Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Deogarh, Koraput, Nabarangpur&Sundargarh. Odisha's Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Department will implement the project with assistance from Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Directorate.

 

6. MeghnaPant’s new book “The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News”: Award-winning writer, journalist and speaker, Meghna Pant has penned a new book “The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News”. The book will be released in April 2021, and soon be seen as a major motion picture under the title BadnamLadoo. The book is about a small-town woman, Ladoo, who scandalizes her conservative family when she decides to use a sperm donor to have a baby while continuing to look for Mr Right. This book takes a humorous and light approach to address an important issue, relevant to every woman in the world, without being belligerent or pedantic.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. US-Russia Extends New START Arms Reduction Treaty: The United States has extended the “New START” nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia for a period of five years. The New START, which stands for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, is a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation. The new strategic arms reduction treaty was formally signed on April 8, 2010, and after ratification, entered into force on 5 February 2011. The New START treaty was set to expire on February 5, 2021, but both the parties have further extended it for five more years, till February 2026.

Note: President of United States: Joe Biden; Capital: Washington, D.C.

Russia President: Vladimir Putin; Russia Capital: Moscow; Russia Currency: Russian Ruble.

 

2. FAO endorses first-ever Declaration for Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture at COFI 34: During the 34th Session of UN's FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Committee on Fisheries (COFI 34) which took place virtually, members of the session supported the first-ever Declaration for Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture. The declaration calls for Strong action to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and emphasized on the importance of recovering from impacts of COVID- 19 pandemic. The report 'The impact of COVID-19 on fisheries and aquaculture food systems Possible Responses' released by FAO in November, 2020 was discussed during COFI 34 session. The next COFI session (COFI35) is set to be held from September 5-9 in 2022.

Note: COFI: The Committee on Fisheries (COFI) is a subsidiary body of the FAO Council established by FAO Conference in 1965. It is the only intergovernmental forum where members of FAO discuss and review issues related to fisheries and aquaculture.

About Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council; Head: Director-General; Qu Dongyu

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Lombard launches Corporate India Risk Index: Private General Insurer ICICI Lombard has launched the ‘Corporate India Risk Index’. This is intended to be a unified, standardised corporate risk index that spans industries and companies. This will help companies understand the level of risk that their business is facing and also assist in developing a successful risk aversion plan. It has worked with consulting firm Frost and Sullivan to develop the risk measurement tool.

Note: ICICI Lombard CEO: BhargavDasgupta; ICICI Lombard Headquarters: Mumbai; ICICI Lombard Founded: 2001.

 

2. PNB inks deal with Indian Oil to provide up to Rs 2 cr loan to dealers: State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) said it has inked a pact with Indian Oil Corporation to provide up to ₹2 crore to the oil company’s dealers. The MoU would benefit dealers with credit facilities at lower interest rates, nil margin, and with minimum or zero collateral requirements through the PNB e-Dealer scheme. The loan can be availed maximum up to ₹2 crore with zero-margin. Also, PNB said it will not ask for any collateral security from those having dealership with Indian Oil of 5 years or more.

 

3. Star Health Insurance partners with PhonePe to offer Digital Health Insurance: Star Health and Allied Insurance, a leading standalone health Insurance company in India, announced the launch of its ArogyaSanjeevani policy on PhonePe – a popular Indian digital payments platform. All PhonePe users can now protect their families from financial burdens in the event of any medical emergency. The policy is available at an annual premium of only Rs. 2985/- (excluding GST) for sum insured of Rs. 1 lakh. This policy has been designed to cover the most essential aspects of any instance of hospitalization in the family. The policy covers anyone up to 65 years with sum insured options up to Rs. 10 lakh.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SIDBI, COWE launch campaign to promote Stand-Up India scheme: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), along with the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India (COWE), has launched a campaign to give a fillip to the government”s Stand Up India (SUI) scheme. The mega campaign – SwavalambanSashakt  is a 20 webinar series aimed at creating awareness about the SUI scheme. The scheme is a flagship programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to at least one scheduled caste (SC) or scheduled tribe (ST) borrower. The scheme has now been extended up to FY2025.

 

2. State-owned GAIL acquires IEX’s 5% stake in Indian Gas Exchange: GAIL (India) Limited has acquired a 5% stake of Indian Energy Exchange Ltd (IEX) in Indian Gas Exchange Ltd (IGX). GAIL becomes the 3rd strategic investor in IGX after Adani Total Gas & Torrent Gas. With this disinvestment, IEX will hold 85% stake in IGX. Recently, Adani Total Gas and Torrent Gas acquired 5% stake each in IGX. This was the 1^st time stakes of IGX were sold, as it was wholly-owned by the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). The total 10% stake has been sold for about Rs 7.38 crore.

Note: About IGX: Director: Rajesh Kumar Mediratta; Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

About Indian Energy Exchange Ltd (IEX): Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

About GAIL (India) Limited: Chairman & Managing Director: Manoj Jain; Headquarters: New Delhi

 

3. Govt to sell 20% stake in NFL: The government will sell 20% of its stake in National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL) through an offer for sale and has invited bids from merchant bankers for managing the share sale. The deadline for submitting the bids is March 2, 2021. At the current market price, selling 20% stake can fetch about Rs 400 crore to the exchequer. Shares of NFL closed at Rs 41.80, up 2.33% over the previous close on the BSE. The government holds 74.71% stake in the company.

 

4. Bank of India to acquire 49% stake each in BOI AXA Investment Managers, BOI AXA Trustee Services: Fair trade regulator CCI approved Bank of India’s acquisition of 49 per cent stake each in BOI AXA Investment Managers and BOI AXA Trustee Services. According to a combination notice filed with the regulator, total asset under management (AUM) of BOI AXA Mutual Fund was Rs 2,426 crore as of November 30, 2020.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Prime Minister hands over indigenous Arjun Mk-1A tank to Army: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the indigenous main battle tank Arjun Mk-1A to the Army in a function at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. Chief of the Army Staff General ManojMukundNaravane received the model of the tank, designed and developed by Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), a unit of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). A tank made in Tamil Nadu will be used in our northern borders to keep the nation safe. This showcases India’s united spirit — Bharat’s EktaDarshan,”. The indent for 118 of these tanks would be placed shortly with the Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) at Avadi near Chennai.

Daily GK Updates – 16th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rajnath Singh inaugurates ‘Jalabhishekam’ campaign in Madhya Pradesh: The state government of Madhya Pradesh has launched a water conservation campaign called ‘Jalabhishekam’, under which more than 57,000 water structures has been constructed. The campaign was inaugurated by the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually.

About the Campaign: Water conservation work is being undertaken with public participation and will be helpful in achieving the goal of building self-reliant Madhya Pradesh. The Campaign will also fulfil the intention of ‘water for every farm and work for every hand’. The water structures were created during COVID era by linking the work with the MNREGA scheme. These water structures cost over Rs. 2,000 crore and will irrigate 2.50 lakh hectares of land without submerging an inch of land.

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

 

2. Odisha to Construct ‘COVID Warrior Memorial’ in Bhubaneswar: In order to recognize the sacrifice and services rendered by the Covid warriors who lost their lives fighting the pandemic, the government has decided to construct a Covid Warrior Memorial in Odisha. The BijuPatnaik Park in Bhubaneswar has been selected for this purpose. Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department to the Works Department it was also said that the Works Department has been declared as the Nodal Department for construction of the Covid Warrior Memorial. They will engage an architect to finalise the design and structure of the said memorial and take approval from the competent authority.

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

 

3. ISRO opens satellite testing centre for private sector: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has opened its UR Rao Satellite Centre for testing satellites developed by the private sector for the first time in its history. Two satellites, developed by the Indian startups SpaceKidz India and Pixxel (incorporated as Sygyzy) were tested at the UR Rao Satellite Centre.

ISRO also helped these two companies in fixing problems with the solar panels on their respective satellites. So far in its history, the space agency has only taken help in manufacturing and fabrication of various parts of satellites and rockets from the Indian industry. Both these two companies will also test their engines at the Sriharikota spaceport and Thiruvananthapuram rocket centre in coming days.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

4. Expert committee to review proposal to ban 27 pesticides: The government has appointed an expert panel to review industry’s objections to the proposed ban on 27 widely used pesticides which officials say are harmful to animals and humans. The committee, led by chairman TP Rajendran, former assistant director general of ICAR, is likely to submit its report in three months. His report will decide the fate of those 27 pesticides which the government wants to ban. These are part of the 66 contentious pesticides which are being reviewed for their toxicity. In 2018, the government had already banned 18 of them.

 

5. Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ memoir named ‘Unfinished’: Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas officially turned author with the release of her first book, “Unfinished: A Memoir”, which she described as “honest, raw and vulnerable”. The end result is a book, published by the Michael Joseph imprint, which covers her dual-continent 20-year-long career as an actor and producer and her work as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador.

About the memoir: The memoir promises to offer insights into Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ childhood in India, her formative teenage years in the US. Her return to India resulted in the newcomer to the pageant world, against all odds, winning the national and international beauty competitions – Miss India and Miss World – that launched her global acting career.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Exim Bank to provide USD 400 mn funding for Maldives: The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) will provide USD 400 million to the Maldives through Line of Credit (LoC) to fund the Greater Male Connectivity Project. The agreement under the LoC will be effective from January 28, 2021. The 6.7 km Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) will be the largest civilian infrastructure project in the Maldives, connecting Male with three neighbouring islands – Villingili, Gulhifahu and Thilafushi. The Government of India will be funding the implementation of a major connectivity project in the Maldives through a USD 400 million lines of credit and USD 100 million grant.

Note: Export-Import Bank of India CEO: David Rasquinha; Export-Import Bank of India  Founded: 1 January 1982; Export-Import Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

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

 

2. India Energy Demand Set to Grow Fastest in the World; to Overtake EU: India’s energy demand will increase more than that of any other country over the next two decades, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said forecasting India overtaking the European Union as the world’s third-largest energy consumer by 2030. An expanding economy, population, urbanisation and industrialisation will result in India’s energy needs growing at three times the global average under today’s policies, according to IEA’s India Energy Outlook 2021. Energy use has doubled since 2000, with most of that demand met by coal and oil. This is set to grow about 35 per cent until 2030, down from 50 per cent before the coronavirus pandemic. India at present is the fourth-largest global energy consumer behind China, the United States and the European Union.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Drass Red win 13th CEC Cup Ice Hockey Championship: In KargilLadakh, Drass Red has won the 13th CEC Cup Ice Hockey Championship beating Hockey Club Chiktan team in the Final match. The 1st Women CEC Ice Hockey Cup 2021 was lifted by ShakarChiktan Team defeating WakhaMulbekh Team. 32 Men teams and 5 Women Teams participated in the tournament which was organized by the District Youth Services & Sports.

 

2. ICC announces BYJU’S as global partner until 2023: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced BYJU’S, India’s largest EdTechcompany as their global partner from 2021 to 2023. The three-year agreement will see BYJU’S partner all ICC events over the period, including the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India, and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. As a global partner, BYJU’S will have extensive in-venue, broadcast, and digital rights across all ICC events.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Maharashtra ties up with LoanTap Credit for co-lending to MSMEs: Bank of Maharashtra said it has entered into a co-lending agreement with Pune-based non-banking financial company LoanTap Credit Products for MSME loans. The co-lending model provides ease of loan sanctions at borrower’s convenience through digital lending platforms, which cover end-to-end loan processing cycles without manual intervention or visiting bank branches. Under the co-lending model, the bank will have an exposure of up to 80 per cent to an MSME customer. LoanTap will take the balance exposure.

 

2. India’s Forex reserves jump by 4.85 billion dollars to record high of 590.18 billion dollars: The country’s foreign exchange reserves rose by 4.85 billion US Dollars to touch a record high of 590.18 billion dollars in the week ended January 29. Forex reserves rose on account of an increase in foreign currency assets (FCA), a major component of the overall reserves. FCA increased by 5.03 billion dollars to 547.22 billion dollars. The gold reserves declined by 164 million dollars to 36.29 billion dollars in the week ended January 29. The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were down by 4 million dollars to 1.51 billion dollars in the reporting week. The country’s reserve position with the IMF also declined by 6 million dollars to 5.16 billion dollars in the week.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Moody’s projects nominal growth of 17% for next fiscal: Global rating agency Moody’s projected India’s nominal growth at 17% for the coming fiscal, a mark up from the 14.3% earlier, based on the “pro-growth” budget, but highlighted the weak prospects of fiscal consolidation. The larger-than-expected deficit projections reflected both credible budgetary assumptions and greater transparency, but the government’s weak fiscal position is likely to remain a key credit challenge. The agency had pegged India’s fiscal deficit for the current fiscal at 7.5% of GDP and 5.5% for the next fiscal, while the budget put the figures at 9.5% and 6.8% for FY21 and FY22, respectively.

 

2. Maharashtra govt signs MoU with Flipkart to promote wooden toys, local artifacts, handicrafts: In order to promote wooden toys, local artifacts, handicrafts Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation and Maharashtra State Khadi& Village Industries Board have signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Flipkart. This MoU will enable artisans, weavers, craftsmen & MSMEs from Maharashtra to showcase their products to millions of customers in India. Flipkart will provide free training for packaging and branding to all these manufacturers. Also, product photography will also be done by the company.

 

3. HAL, Wipro3D collaborate to manufacture metal 3D printed aircraft engine component: Wipro 3D and Engine Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) have collaborated for the development, manufacturing and air worthiness certification of a critical aero-engine component operating in the hot zone, using metal 3D printing. The Nozzle Guide Vane (also called the Inner Ring), 3D printed in a high temperature resilient steel A286, has been awarded Airworthiness certification by Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), the regulatory body of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Wipro 3D is the metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN). “The Wipro3D manufactured components shall be installed in HAL manufactured helicopter engines.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former West Indies pacer Ezra Moseley passes away: Former Windies pacer Ezra Moseley passed away after being hit by a car in his native Barbados. He was 63. Moseley played 76 matches and took 279 wickets at an average of 23.31 runs per wicket. He also took 102 wickets in 79 List A matches. He was the assistant coach when the West Indies Women’s team won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in India in 2016 and was the current coach of the Barbados Women’s team.

Daily GK Updates – 15th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre Launches Official Website of India Toy Fair 2021: The Government of India will organise the first-ever ‘The India Toy Fair, 2021′ from February 27, 2021, to March 02, 2021, on a virtual platform. The official website for India Toy Fair-2021 is www.theindiatoyfair.in. This initiative is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a global hub for the Toy Industry. The website and online registration were inaugurated on February 11, 2021, jointly by the Union Education Minister, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Minister of Textiles, Smt. SmritiZubinIrani and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri PiyushGoyal.

 

2. Meghalaya police inks MoU with SBI for e-Challan: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Meghalaya police and the State Bank of India for implementation of the e-Challan within the jurisdiction of the Shillong Traffic Police (STP). The e-Challan system which will be launched in the days to come is a digital traffic enforcement solution whereby, imposing penalties on violators of traffic rules and generating of challan will be done digitally.

About the system: The system has been integrated with VAHAN & SARATHI applications and this will enable the Traffic Officials to fetch the details of the traffic violator such as vehicle and driver’s details through these applications, thereby, reducing the time taken to issue challan. The payment for traffic violations can be transacted on the spot through cash payment or through instant card payments by swiping at Point of Sale (POS) machine available with the Traffic Officials; options are also available for the traffic violator to make payments at the Traffic Branches by producing the issued e-Challan at the respective Traffic Units.

Note: Meghalaya Capital: Shillong; Meghalaya Governor: Satya Pal Malik; Meghalaya Chief minister: Conrad Sangma.

 

3. World Bank Signs $100 million Project with Chhattisgarh: Indian Govt and Chhattisgarh Govt has signed a $100 million for CHIRAAG (Chhattisgarh Inclusive Rural and Accelerated Agriculture Growth) project with the World bank. The main purpose is to develop sustainable production systems that allow tribal households in remote areas of Chhattisgarh to practice round-the-year production of diversified and nutritious food. The project will be implemented in the southern tribal-majority region of the state where a large population is undernourished and poor. Over 180,000 households from about 1,000 villages in eight districts of Chhattisgarh, will be benefited from this project.

Note: Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh: BhupeshBaghel; Governor: AnusuiyaUikey.

World Bank Headquarters: Washington DC, United States; World Bank President: David Malpass; World Bank Founded: July 1944.

 

4. Annual Convention of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India Begins at Statue of Unity in Gujarat: The Union Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the 10th Annual Convention-cum-Exhibition of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) at the Statue of Unity (SOU) in Kevadia, Gujarat. The three-day event has been organised from February 12 to 14, 2021. The theme of the convention is ‘Domestic Tourism – Hope for the revival- DekhoApnaDesh’. The convention has been jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and ADTOI with support from Gujarat Tourism. The objective of this convention is building public confidence to travel for the revival of domestic tourism in the country. Around 400 delegates comprising of ADTOI members from across India will be ateending the event along with  hoteliers, airlines representatives, senior government officials, media-persons among other stakeholders of the tourism industry.

 

5. Famous Mandu Festival Begins in Madhya Pradesh: The three-day famous “Mandu Festival” began at the historic town of Mandu in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on February 13, 2021. The festival will culminate on February 15, 2021. The festival is organised by the state government of Madhya Pradesh to showcase each and every aspect of the ancient Mandu city, ranging from food, music, history & heritage, art & craft etc.During the festival, the state culture and tourism minister Usha Thakur inaugurated the newly constructed Dino Adventure Park and Fossils Museum in Mandu and construction of Astro Park building at a cost of Rs 59 lakh. The Dinosaur Park is the first modern fossil park in India which has 24 eggs and other fossils of dinosaurs on display.

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

 

6. JualOram launches book on economic awareness in India: Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Defence and MP JualOram has launched ‘Turn Around India: 2020- Surmounting Past Legacy’, a book on creating economic awareness among masses. The book is authored by RP Gupta.

The essence of the book: ‘Turn Around India: 2020’ is an intimate narrative of Gupta’s experiences and how he attained success through sheer hard work and determination. The book provides a practical and viable option for reviving Indian economy for creating new jobs and enlarging public income and also, the structural reforms such as fiscal and monetary stimuli for overcoming economic crisis arising due to pandemic. The book talks about the economic history of India enabling to identify the strengths and weakness and take corrective actions.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Mario Draghi sworn in as Italy’s new prime minister: The former European Central Bank Chief Mario Draghi has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Italy on 12 February 2021. The 73-year-old had served as President of the European Central Bank from 2011 until 2019. He replaces Giuseppe Conte, who resigned recently after losing majority support from his coalition government over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Here Italy goes again, with its 67th government since World War Two.

Note: President of Italy: Sergio Mattarella; Capital of Italy: Rome; Currency of Italy: Euro.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI releases Annual Report of Ombudsman Schemes for 2019-20: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the Annual Report of the Ombudsman Schemes for the year 2019-20. There was an increase of around 65 per cent in the receipt of complaints out of which almost 92 per cent have been disposed of. RBI has three Ombudsman- Banking, Non-Banking Finance Company (i.e. NBFC) and digital transactions. A common man can approach this Ombudsman for their grievances. As per the RBI’s report, all three received in total 3,30,543 complaints in 19-20 as compared to 2,00,362 in 18-19. Banking Ombudsman received major complaints regarding ATM & Debit Cards, Mobile & Electronic Banking while NBFC’s Ombudsmen received most complaints about non-observance of regulatory guidelines, lack of transparency in contract/ loan agreement and levy of charges without notice. Important Points:

(1) The Banking Ombudsman received major complaints regarding ATM & Debit Cards, Mobile & Electronic Banking.

(2) NBFC’s Ombudsman received most complaints about non-observance of regulatory guidelines, lack of transparency in contract/ loan agreement and levy of charges without notice.

(3) Digital Transactions Ombudsmen received most complaints about fund transfer. RBI has taken various measures for creating awareness among various stakeholders to minimise the grievances.

(4) As announced in the Monetary Policy Statement last week, the three Ombudsman Schemes are being merged and integrated into a single scheme which will be rolled out starting from June this year.

 

2. SatishwarBalakrishnan appointed as Aegon Life’s MD & CEO: Aegon Life Insurance, India’s first digital-only life insurance company, elevated SatishwarBalakrishnan to be the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.  Prior to joining Aegon Life, he has worked with IndiaFirst Life, Reliance Life and ICICI Prudential Life. He is a Chartered Accountant by qualification. Satishwar, who joined the company in July 2019 as Chief Financial Officer, will spearhead Aegon Life’s transformation into a digital-only life insurance company.

Note: Aegon Life Insurance is headquartered in Mumbai; Aegon Life Insurance Founded in 2008.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Motors appoints Marc Llistosella as new CEO & MD: Tata Motors Limited has appointed Marc Llistosella as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD). The appointment of Llistosella will be effective from July 1, 2021. He will replace current CEO & MD of Tata Motors, GuenterButschek, who had expressed his desire to relocate to Germany at the end of the contract for personal reasons. Llistosella is the former president and CEO of Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. and head of Daimler Trucks in Asia.

Note: Tata Motors Founder: J. R. D. Tata; Tata Motors Founded: 1945, Mumbai.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy undertaking exercise “TROPEX” in Indian Ocean Region: The Indian Navy is carrying out a mega war game involving almost all operational assets like warships, submarines and aircraft over a vast geographical expanse in the Indian Ocean Region to test the force’s combat readiness in a complex multi-dimensional scenario. The biennial ‘Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX)’ aims to validate the Navy’s offensive as well as defence capabilities and safeguard national interests in the maritime domain besides promoting peace and stability in the Indian Ocean. The exercise is being conducted over a vast geographical expanse in the Indian Ocean Region including its adjunct waters and is aimed at testing combat readiness of the Navy in a complex multi-dimensional scenario set in the context of the current geostrategic environment.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Indo-Pak War Veteran Retired Major General BK Mahapatra Passes Away:  War veteran Major General (retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra, who had participated in major battles including the 1962 Indo-China war, and 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war, has passed away. He was 87.  Hailing from Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Mahapatra was commissioned into armoured corps (Tanks) of the Indian Army as a Combat Officer and was popularly known as ‘Tank Man’. Mohapatra was conferred with the prestigious AtiVishishtSeva Medal (AVSM).