Daily GK Update - 5th April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launches new cruise service connecting Hazira port in Surat and Diu Island: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (Independent charge) Mansukh Mandaviya today launched a new cruise service connecting Hazira port in Surat and Diu Island. He flagged off this service virtually via video conference. A cruise ship will leave Hazira every Monday and Wednesday and reach Diu -next day in the morning. Return journey will take place on the same day in the evening from Diu and end at Hazira- next day in the morning. One side journey will take 13 to 14 hours’ time. A 300 passenger capacity cruise ship will have 16 cabins. It will make two round trips during the week. AIR correspondent reports that a cruise ship has latested facilities including gaming lounge, VIP lounge, entertainment on deck etc.

2. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurates Tulip Festival: In the Kashmir Valley, Tulip Festival in Srinagar was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Over 15 lakh flowers of more than 64 varieties are in full bloom on the foothills of the Zabarwan Mountains. The five-day-long Tulip Festival in Asia’s largest tulip garden at the foothills of Zabarwan hills on the banks of world-famous Dal Lake in Srinagar.

About the festival: The Tulip Garden was opened for tourists and the general public on the 25th of March. Last year the Tulip Festival could not be held because of the unprecedented situation of COVID-19. However, this time, the Tulip Festival is being organized on a large scale to attract more and more tourists. The Tulip Festival, to be held from 3rd to 7th of April, will showcase Kashmiri folk music apart from a painting competition.

3. Urjit Patel appointed as additional director of Britannia: Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Dr Urjit Patel has been appointed as Additional Director of Britannia Industries with effect from 31st March 2021 for the tenure of 5 years. The company has announced that its board of directors has approved the appointment. The Board of Directors of the company at their meeting held 31 March 2021, approved the appointment of Dr Urjit Patel, as an additional director of the company in the category of non-executive and independent director with effect from 31 March 2021 for a term of 5 years i.e., up to 30th March 2026, subject to the approval of the shareholders of the company.

Note: Britannia CEO: Varun Berry; Britannia Headquarters: Bengaluru; Britannia Founded: 1892.

4. Adil Zainulbhai appointed chairman of Capacity Building Commission: Former Quality Council of India (QCI) chief Adil Zainulbhai has appointed chairman of Capacity Building Commission. The government has approved a commission under National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), also known as ‘Mission Karmayogi’, to train civil servants at all levels. The approved Capacity Building Commission will coordinate with and supervise all the government offices, training institutes to monitor and evaluate the implementation of plans and create shared resources. The Commission will comprise of a Chairperson and two Members.

5. National Maritime Day: 5th April: National Maritime Day in India is observed on 5 April every year. This year is the 58th edition of the National Maritime Day. The National Maritime Day is celebrated every year day to illustrate the awareness in supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized, safe and sound, environmentally responsive approach of transporting goods from one corner to another corner of the world.

History of National Maritime Day of India: The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964. The saga of India shipping first started on April 5, 1919, when the SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd travelled from Mumbai to the United Kingdom (London). On this day an award called “Varuna” is conferred to those who made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime sector.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russia registers world’s 1st Covid vaccine Carnivac-Cov for animals: The world’s first animal vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been registered in Russia, the country’s agriculture safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor. The vaccine for animals, developed by a unit of Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance), was named Carnivac-Cov. The immunity lasts for six months after the vaccination, but the dose’s developers are continuing to analyse this. The use of this vaccine, as per Russian scientists, can prevent the development of virus mutations. The use of this vaccine, as per Russian scientists, can prevent the development of virus mutations. It is the world’s first and only product for preventing Covid-19 in animals.

2. International Day of Conscience: 5th April: The United Nations declares April 5 as International Day of Conscience. This day serves to remind people to self-reflect, follow their conscience, and do the right things. This Day is observed every year on 5th April and the first International Conscience Day was observed in 2020. So in the current year 2021, the second United Nations (UN) International Day of Conscience celebrations are being held across the world. This day is celebrated to highlight the importance of conscience and the role of conscience in stopping people from harming others orally, physically, sexually, or mentally. International Conscience Day is celebrated to highlight that everyone has self-respect and the right to live with peace and security.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. Tashkent to host 2023 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships: President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Umar Kremlev during his visit to Uzbekistan officially announced that AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships will take place in Tashkent in 2023. The city of Tashkent is awarded the 2023 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships after the successful bid presentation by the Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan. The AIBA Board of Directors voted in favour of the major event candidate city.

Note: Uzbekistan Capital: Tashkent; Uzbekistan President: Shavkat Mirziyoyev; Uzbekistan Currency: Uzbekistani soʻm.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI Fixes Centre's WMA Limit at Rs 1.2 Lakh Cr for First Half of Next Fiscal: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit at Rs 1.2 lakh crore for the central government for the first half of the financial year beginning April 1. WMAs are temporary advances given by the RBI to the government to tide over any mismatch in receipts and payments. Further, the RBI said it may trigger fresh floatation of market loans when the government utilises 75 per cent of the WMA limit. The interest rate on WMA is equal to the repo rate and on overdraft, it is two per cent above the repo rate. The current repo rate is 4 per cent.

2. ICICI Bank, Axis Bank to co-lead NUE with Amazon, Visa as partners: Leading private sector lenders ICICI Bank and Axis Bank have tied up with global e-commerce major Amazon and cards major Visa to launch a retail payments entity, which will be a rival to state-owned NPCI. Concerns over concentration risk and a need to fast-track cashless payments had led the RBI to invite applications for a New Umbrella Entity (NUE) to rival the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which currently delivers services like UPI- based payments.

ICICI Bank and Axis Bank will be co-leading the consortium with a 20 per cent stake each. Other partners, including Amazon, Billdesk, Pine Labs and Visa will be holding a stake of 15 per cent each. The scope of activities for the NUE as mandated by RBI includes payment systems in the retail space like ATMs, white label point of sale terminals, Aadhar-based payment systems and remittance services, operation of clearing and settlement systems for participating banks and non-banks, be interoperable with NPCI, and participate in the Reserve Bank's payment and settlement systems.

3. RBL Bank and Tide, collaborate to serve Indian SMEs: Private lender, RBL Bank has tied-up with Tide India, a UK-based banking fintech, to provide banking infrastructure for Tide’s India platform focused on the SME segment. This collaboration will enable Tide to bring its platform to the Indian markets with a full-fledged launch. Under the tie-up, businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises have an option to open current and savings accounts at RBL Bank through Tide’s business platform. Depending on customer requirements, the Bank can also integrate its payment APIs. Tide plans to acquire 25,000 customers in the next financial year and scale up to two million customers in the next five years. Apart from supporting the organised SME sector, Tide will also focus on serving the unregistered and unorganised sector, helping bring these SMEs into the mainstream by providing them access to RBL Bank’s plethora of business banking products and services.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan Receives Kalinga Ratna Samman: Odisha-born Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan received the Kalinga Ratna Samman for 2021. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu conferred Biswabhusan with the prestigious award in Cuttack on the occasion of the 40th annual day of the Sarala Sahitya Sansad at the Sarala Bhawan. The Kalinga Ratna Samman carries a silver idol of Goddess Saraswati, a copper plaque and a shawl.

 OBITUARIES

1. Japanese Nobel laureate Isamu Akasaki passes away: Japanese Physicist Isamu Akasaki, a co-winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, has passed away. Akasaki, a professor at the university, had been recognized for the invention which has contributed to bright and energy-saving white light sources, widely known as LED lamps. He was honoured in 1997 by the Japanese government with the Medal with Purple Ribbon, an honour bestowed on those who have made contributions to academic and artistic developments. In 2014, Akasaki, a professor at Meijo University, shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with physicist Hiroshi Amano, a professor at the University of Nagoya, and Japan-born American Shuji Nakamura, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He worked with Amano to produce gallium nitride crystals and succeeded in 1989 in creating the world’s first blue LED.

2. Veteran film and TV actress Shashikala passes away: Veteran film and TV actress Shashikala Om Prakash Saigal passed away. She was more popularly known by her first name, Shashikala has famously appeared as various supporting characters in over 100 films. Shashikala was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri by the Indian government for her unparalleled contribution to the world of cinema and arts in 2007. She was also conferred with the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at the V. Shantaram Awards in 2009. Apart from this, Shashikala bagged two Filmfare awards for her work in Aarti and Gumrah.

Daily GK Update - 4th April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched “MyNEP2020” platform of NCTE Web Portal: Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched the “MyNEP2020” Platform of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Web Portal which will be operational from April 1 to May 15, 2021. The platform seeks to invite suggestions/inputs/membership from the stakeholders for preparing a draft for the development of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and National Mission for Mentoring Program membership (NMM). This exercise of digital consultation envisages the participation of teachers, education professionals, academicians, and other stakeholders in preparing the documents on teacher policy for sustainable and positive change in the Teacher’s Education Sector. For preparing the documents on the above two major recommendations of NEP 2020, NCTE will work in close consultation with individuals/organizations. The expert committee will extensively review the inputs collected during the consultation period and will finally formulate the drafts for public review.

2. Maharashtra: Amboli named as biodiversity heritage site: The Maharashtra government has declared an area at Amboli in Western ghats in Sindhudurg district, where a rare freshwater fish species was discovered, as a biodiversity heritage site. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray”s son Tejas Thackeray, who is a wildlife researcher, and his team had discovered the new freshwater fish species – Schistura Hiranyakeshi” near Amboli in Sawantwadi tehsil of Sindhudurg district. The State government issued a notification declaring the area at Amboli as a biodiversity heritage site. Schistura is a small and colourful fish that lives in water and streams in an abundance of oxygen.

Earlier, the State government had declared the Glory of Allapalli in Gadchiroli district, Landor Khori Park in Jalgaon, Ganesh Khind in Pune, myristica swamp vegetation in Sindhudurg district as biodiversity heritage sites. The discoveries of the freshwater fish species were published in the International Journal of Ichthyology in the October 2020 edition by Tejas Thackeray and co-authors.

Note: Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai; Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

 3. Mallika Srinivasan appointed chairperson of PESB: Chairman and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) Limited, Mallika Srinivasan has been appointed as the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), an order issued by the personnel ministry. This is for the first time that a private sector specialist has been appointed as the head of the PESB, responsible for the appointment of top management posts in the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Srinivasan as the chairperson of PESB for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until the attainment of the age of 65 years.

Note: Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions: Narendra Modi.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions: Jitendra Singh.

4. West Central Railway becomes first fully electrified Indian Railways zone: Indian Railways’ West Central Railway zone gets fully electrified!, after CCRS Inspection and Commissioning of electrification of Kota – Chittaurgarh railway section (Srinagar – Jalindri) in the state of Rajasthan. West Central Railways has become the first fully electrified railway zone in the country. The zonal railway now boasts a 3012 Route Km electrified network. According to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, trains passing through this railway section can now be operated at a faster speed. Electrification of this railway section will provide various benefits such as saving fuel, reduction in travel time, as well as environmental protection.

5. Vice President releases book ‘Suparipalana’ by Dr Shailendra Joshi: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has released a book ‘Suparipalana’ by retired civil servant Dr Shailendra Joshi. The book ‘Suparipalana’ is the Telugu translation of “Echo T Calling: Towards People-Centric Governance”, written by former Telangana Chief Secretary, Shri S K Joshi. The translator of the book is Shri Annavarapu Brahmaiah and the publisher is Shri Maruthi.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Mine Awareness Day: 4th April: The United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is celebrated on April 4 each year. On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It was first observed on 4 April 2006. This year, the United Nations will promote mine action by highlighting how “Perseverance, Partnership, and Progress” have carried the sector through this challenging year.

The day aims to raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication. “Mine action” refers to a range of efforts to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war and to mark and fence off dangerous areas. It also includes assisting victims, teaching people how to remain safe in a mine-affected environment, advocating for universal participation in international treaties related to landmines, explosive remnants of war and their victims, and destroying landmines stockpiled by governments and non-state armed groups.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. Aniyan Midhun wins gold at south Asian Wushu tourney: Aniyan Midhun of Nattika won the gold at the South Asian Wushu Championship that concluded in Nepal on March 31. The 28-year-old youth represented the country in the 70-kg category in the championship. He is the first Wushu player from southern India to reach the Indian team. Midhun is a black belt in karate and he is also a national champion in wushu as well as kickboxing. In fact, the 28-year-old was introduced to wushu when he was in the fifth standard and hasn’t looked back since. He is currently training with veteran coach Kuldeep Handu who is an Arjuna Award winner and the Indian wushu head coach.

 BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank aims to take local kirana stores online with new app: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has joined hands with nStore to digitise offline retailers and small businesses in the country. Under this partnership, the lender will offer a mobile application 'nLincs' to its current account holders who own local businesses. With this new application, the merchants can sell their merchandise online. Bank aims to support local businesses like kirana & general stores, medical shops, stationary stores, cakes and bakeries, quick service restaurants, apparel stores, mobile stores, fruits and vegetable stores and hardware stores etc.

How it will work: The merchants can register online via 'nLincs' application. They can easily host product catalogue on the application. The entire process will take less than an hour. Using this application, customers can also create a virtual store link. There will be an option to share the link with others through instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram etc. and via text messages. Thus, the application will help the merchants to establish a digital presence for their stores. There will be multiple payment options available for the merchants.

2. ICICI Bank, PhonePe Tie Up For Issuance Of FASTags: ICICI Bank and PhonePe announced their partnership for the issuance of FASTag using UPI on the PhonePe App. This integration allows over 280 million registered PhonePe users to order and track the ICICI Bank FASTag conveniently on the app. PhonePe users, who may be customers of any bank, will have a fully digitised experience as they don’t have to visit physical stores or toll locations to buy a FASTag. ICICI Bank is the first bank to partner with PhonePe for the issuance of FASTag. NPCI, IHMCL and NHAI are working together to make toll payments fully digital.

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

CEO of Phonepe: Sameer Nigam; Headquarters location of Phonepe: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. GST revenue collection in March 2021: India’s economic recovery is gathering steam. The GST collections for the month of March have topped Rs 1.23 lakh crore, setting a new record since the implementation of Goods and Services Tax in July 2017. The gross GST revenue collected in the month of March 2021 rose to a record of ₹ 1,23,902 crore of which CGST is ₹ 22,973 crore, SGST is ₹ 29,329 crore, IGST is ₹ 62,842 crore and Cess is ₹ 8,757 crore.

List of GST Collection previous months:

February 2021: Rs 1,13,143 crore

January 2021: ₹ 1,19,847 crore

December- Rs 1,15,174 crore

Novemeber: ₹1.04 lakh crore

October 2020: ₹ 1,05,155 crore

2. Facebook and Google to build new cables under the sea called ‘Echo’ and ‘Bifrost’: Facebook and Google are planning to build new subsea cables from the US to Singapore and Indonesia. Facebook has partnered with leading regional and global partners to build two new subsea cables Echo and Bifrost that will provide vital new connections between the Asia-Pacific region and North America. While Google is only investing in Echo. These cables will increase overall transpacific capacity by 70 per cent. These projects are still subject to regulatory approvals, when completed, these cables are expected to deliver much-needed Internet capacity, redundancy, and reliability. The announcements come at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the need for reliable Internet access.

Note: Google CEO: Sundar Pichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998, California, United States; Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin.

Chief Executive Officer of Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg; Facebook Headquarters: California, US.

DEFENCE

1. Light weight Bullet Proof Jacket developed by DRDO lab: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and DMSRDE Kanpur for developing a LightWeight Bullet Proof Jacket. India needs more such innovative product design and development to realize the dream of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. DMSRDE Kanpur, a DRDO laboratory has developed a LightWeight Bullet Proof Jacket weighing 9 kg meeting the qualitative requirements of the Indian Army. The Front Hard Armour Panel jacket was tested successfully at TBRL Chandigarh and met relevant BIS standards.

Note: Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.

Daily GK Update - 3rd April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Centre withdraws order cutting interest rates on small savings schemes: The government has withdrawn its order slashing interest rates on small savings schemes, including National Savings Certificates (NSC) and Public Provident Fund (PPF), for the first quarter of 2021-22. Earlier on March 31, 2021, the Finance Ministry had announced a sharp cut in interest rates for small savings schemes by 50-110 basis points. Interest rates for small savings schemes are notified on a quarterly basis. However, the orders issued were withdrawn by the government on April 01, 2021. This marks the fourth consecutive quarter that the government has maintained the rates on such schemes that are effective from April 1 and remain in effect till June 30, 2021.

2. Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam in Uttar Pradesh lists itself at BSE: Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam listed itself at BSE and successfully raised Rs. 150 Crores by issuing Municipal Bond on Private Placement Basis using BSE BOND. This is the first-ever green bond issuance by any Municipal Corporation in the country. The money will be used for the construction of a tertiary sewage treatment plant at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad. The money will be used to fund the project partly which is worth Rs 240 crore. This treatment plant will enable the sewage water to be used for industries after treatment. Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam is the second Municipal Corporation to raise funds in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, Lucknow Municipal Corporation had listed itself at BSE.

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

3. GoI declares 14th April, birthday of Dr B R Ambedkar as public holiday: The central government has declared April 14, Dr BR Ambedkar’s birthday a public holiday. Dr B R Ambedkar was the sculptor of the Indian Constitution and the country already celebrates his birthday as Ambedkar Jayanti every year. The government has announced that from this year 14th April will be declared as a public holiday.  It will be Ambedkar’s 130th birth anniversary on April 14, 2021.

About Babasaheb Ambedkar: Babasaheb Ambedkar’s original name is Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. His father Ramji Sakpal was a Subedar in the army and his mother Bhimbai Kapal was a housewife. The family settled in Mumbai in 1897 and Babasaheb enrolled at Elphinstone High School. After matriculation, he took admission to Elphinstone College in 1907. He graduated from Bombay University in 1912 with a degree in Economics and Political Science. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a renowned social reformer and a Dalit icon, he spoke unequivocally against the inequality, injustice, and discrimination faced by the members of the Dalit community. Babasaheb Ambedkar died on December 6 in 1956. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. Japan extends aid for Andaman infrastructure project to bolster Indo-Pacific partnership: Japan prolonged grant support and loans to India for a slew of infrastructure tasks together with a mission for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a part of New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific partnership with Tokyo. The Mission for Enchancment of Energy Provide in Andaman and Nicobar Islands (4.016 billion Yen Grant Assist) is a grant support mission and is critical in some ways.

2. JICA extends Rs 3,717 crore loan for developing Metro Phase 2 in Bengaluru: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed an agreement with the Government of India, to provide Japanese (ODA) loan amounting to Japanese Yen 52,036 million(approximately ₹3,717 crore) for the development of Phase 2 of ‘R6, 2A and 2B’ of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)in Bengaluru. The cumulative loan amount provided by JICA for metro projects in India, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, exceeds 1.3 trillion Japanese Yen (₹87,000 crore approximately).

3. India, South Korea Agree to Go for Joint Production, Export of Military Hardware: In  a significant move, India and South Korea have agreed to go for joint production and export of military hardware, enhance intelligence sharing and boost cooperation in cyber and space domains as part overall expansion of defence and security ties. In the field of defence industrial cooperation, the two sides decided to focus on joint research, joint production and joint export. The two sides also agreed to increase focus on cyber and space cooperation besides resolving to continue to focus on streamlining the intelligence exchange mechanism.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bhubaneswar to host AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Local Organising Committee (LOC) confirmed the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad’s TransStadia and the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar will stage the continent’s premier women’s national team competition. The three stadiums and host cities will provide the ultimate backdrop for some of the finest players in Asian and world women’s football from January 20 to February 6, 2022. The Qualifiers for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 is set to take place from September 13 to 25 in centralised venues with the draw scheduled to be held on May 27 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI extends deadline for processing auto-debit payments by 6 months: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the timeline for processing recurring online transactions by 6 months to September 30, 2021. Earlier in December 2020, RBI had directed all banks including RRBs, NBFCs, and payment gateways that the processing of recurring transactions (domestic or cross-border) using cards or Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) or Unified Payments Interface (UPI) would not be continued beyond March 31, 2021, if they do not comply with Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA).

This means that with effect from April 30, 2021, there were supposed to be no automatic recurring payment for various services, including recharge and utility bill, under arrangements/practices not compliant with AFA. However, banks and payment gateways had sought additional time to comply with the RBI directive on automatic recurring payment. Taking it into consideration, RBI decided to further extend the timeline.

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

2. Mukhmeet S. Bhatia takes over as Director General of ESIC: Senior IAS officer, Mukhmeet S. Bhatia took over the charge of Director General of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) on April 04, 2021. He is a 1990 IAS Officer of the Jharkhand cadre. Earlier, he has worked as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. ESIC is a Statutory and an Autonomous Body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Note: Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Founded: 24 February 1952; Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Headquarters: New Delhi.

 BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. UNESCAP: India’s Economic Growth Of 7% in 2021-22: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) said in the latest update that, India’s is estimated to record economic growth of 7% in 2021-22, over a contraction of 7.7% witnessed in the previous fiscal on account of the pandemic’s impact on normal business activity. It also noted that maintaining low borrowing costs while keeping non-performing loans in check would be a challenge.

Note: UNESCAP Founded: 28 March 1947; UNESCAP Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand.

2. Subhash Kumar takes additional charge as CMD of ONGC: Subhash Kumar has assumed the additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on April 01, 2021. He is serving as Director (Finance) at ONGC. Kumar succeeds incumbent CMD, Shashi Shanker, who superannuated on March 31, 2021.

Note: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Headquarters: Vasant Kunj, Delhi; Oil and Natural Gas Corporation CEO: Shashi Shanker (1 Oct 2017–); Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Founder: Government of India; Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Founded: 14 August 1956.

3. Paytm Money opens new R&D centre in Pune: Online investment platform Paytm Money has set up a new R&D facility in Pune, Maharashtra, which will drive product innovation, especially in the area of equity, mutual funds, and digital gold. The company added that it plans to hire over 250 engineers and data scientists to build new wealth products and services. Paytm Money aims to achieve over 10 million users and 75 million yearly transactions in FY21, with the majority of users coming from small cities and towns.

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

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Legendary Actor Rajinikanth to be honoured with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award: The legendary actor Rajinikanth has been selected to be honoured with the 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Awards, the highest film honour in India. The iconic actor Rajinikanth will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2019 for his stupendous contribution to Indian cinema. Rajinikanth will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award on May 3, 2021. Rajinikanth is the 12th South Indian to get this award. Legends like Dr Rajkumar, Akkineni Nageshwar Rao, K Balachander have been awarded before. The legendary actor has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in the past. The jury this year for the prestigious award included playback icon Asha Bhosle, director-producer Subhash Ghai, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, music composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan and Biswajeet Chatterjee.

2. NTPC conferred ‘Role Model’ award at 11th CII National HR Excellence Award 2020-21: NTPC Ltd, a Public Sector Undertaking under Ministry of Power has been conferred the prestigious ‘Role Model’ Award at the 11th CII National HR Excellence Award 2020-21. The award was presented in the virtual conference “Learn from the Achievers”. This award is the highest level of recognition in the field of Human Resources by Confederation of Indian Industry. Since the institutionalization of CII National HR Excellence Award, this is only the second time when the award of Role Model has been conferred to any organization.

DEFENCE

1. 4th batch of three Rafale fighter jets land in India: The fourth batch of three Rafale fighter jets landed in India after flying non-stop from Istres Air Base France, in a further boost to the strike capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Rafale fighter jets were provided mid-air refuelling by air force tankers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The three Rafale fighter aircraft which took off from France for India were scheduled to land at the Jamnagar airbase. The planes equipped with the Hammer missiles have enhanced their capability to carry out air-to-ground strikes like the one in Balakot.

Daily GK Update - 2nd April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. Govt further extends Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme to June 30, 2021: The Central Government has extended the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 3.0) by another three months till June 30, 2021, or till such time that an amount of Rs. 3 lakh crore is sanctioned under the Scheme. Additionally, the government has also introduced certain modifications in the ECLGS scheme to further contribute towards economic revival. Modified rules:

(1) The limit of credit has been enhanced to 40 per cent of outstanding loans as of February 29, 2020. This limit was 20 per cent earlier.

(2) The scheme would now also cover borrowers with total credit outstanding up to Rs 500 crore, with overdues for 60 days or less on February 29 2020, as compared to 30 days overdue earlier.

(3) The tenor of loans granted under ECLGS 3.0 is 6 years with a moratorium period of 2 years on repayment of principal. In ECLGS 2.0, the tenor was five years with a 12-month moratorium.

(4) Further, the scheme has also introduced providing an incentive to MLIs (member lending institutions) to enable the availability of additional funding facility to the eligible beneficiaries.

(5) The ECLGS was announced as part of the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package of Central Government to provide fully guaranteed and collateral-free additional credit to MSMEs, business enterprises, individual loans for business purposes and MUDRA borrowers.

 2. Government announces Rs 14,500 crore capital infusion in 4 PSBs: The Central Government has announced to infuse Rs 14,500 crore in four state-owned lenders namely Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of India and UCO Bank in 2020-21, by issuing non-interest bearing bonds to these banks. This infusion will complete the government’s total capital infusion of Rs 20,000 crore in public sector banks for the current financial year 2020-21. Earlier in December 2020, it infused Rs 5,500 crore in Punjab and Sind Bank. The Recapitalisation bonds will be issued with six different maturities, and the special securities would be “at par” for the amount as per the application made by the eligible banks. Banks require capital to meet the mandatory reserve requirements laid out by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), make provisions for bad loans and kick-start the lending cycle when demand revives in the economy.

 3. Cabinet Approves Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry worth Rs 10,900 crore: The Union Cabinet has approved the Central Sector Scheme called “Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)” with an outlay of Rs.10900 crore. Scheme will be implemented over a six year period from 2021-22 to 2026-27. The Project Management Agency (PMA) shall implement the scheme. PMA will be responsible for appraisal of applications/ proposals, verification of eligibility for support, scrutiny of claims eligible for disbursement of incentive. The PLI scheme will support creation of global food manufacturing champions and support Indian brands of food products in the international markets.

 4. UP cabinet approves scheme offering affordable rental housing for urban migrants, poor: The Uttar Pradesh government will start a scheme offering affordable rental housing for poor people living in cities and a proposal to this effect was approved by the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Under the Affordable Rental Housing and Complexes (ARHC) scheme, urban migrants/poor laborers, those belonging to economically weaker sections, low-income groups including factory workers, educational institutions, people associated with hospitality, and students will be the beneficiaries. Preference will be given to people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, widows, working women, divyang, and minorities, which will be subject to the provisions made by the state government.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. India ranks 140th in WEF’s gender gap index 2021: India has slipped 28 places to rank 140 among 156 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2021, by World Economic Forum. In 2020, India ranked 112th among 153 countries. Iceland has topped the index as the most gender-equal country in the world for the 12th time. Afghanistan is the worst-performing country in the report.

South Asia: India emerged as the third-worst performing country in South Asia. Bangladesh is the best performer in South Asia. Among India’s neighbours, Bangladesh ranked 65, Nepal 106, Pakistan 153, Afghanistan 156, Bhutan 130 and Sri Lanka 116. In South Asia, only Pakistan and Afghanistan ranked below India.

Top 10 gender-equal country: (1) Iceland; (2) Finland; (3) Norway; (4) New Zealand; (5) Rwanda; (6) Sweden; (7) Namibia; (8) Lithuania; (9) Ireland and (10) Switzerland

Global Gender Gap Report: The Global Gender Gap Report 2021 is the 15th edition of the annual publication by WEF. The Global Gender Gap Index was first introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006 to compare countries’ gender gaps across four dimensions: economic opportunities, education, health and political leadership.

Note: World Economic Forum Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland; World Economic Forum Founder: Klaus Schwab; World Economic Forum Founded: January 1971.

2. World Autism Awareness Day: 02nd April: The World Autism Awareness Day is observed internationally on 2 April every year, to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout the world. The 2021 World Autism Awareness Day observance will address these issues through a virtual event that will include moderated panel discussions with individuals on the autism spectrum who have themselves experienced the challenges and seen these new opportunities in the employment market. The very first World Autism Day was observed in the year 2008 on April 2. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 2007. World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days.

What is Autism: Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication. Autism is a development disorder. The disorder is characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication which may also include restricted and repetitive behaviour.

 3. International Children’s Book Day: 02nd April: International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is organised annually on 2nd April since 1967, by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), an international non-profit organization, to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books. Theme 2021: “The Music of Words.” Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD and decide upon a theme. The IBBY United States is the sponsor for International Children’s Book Day 2021.

Note: International Board on Books for Young People Founder: Jella Lepman; International Board on Books for Young People Founded: 1953, Zürich, Switzerland; International Board on Books for Young People Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

1. Lewis Hamilton Wins 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, held on 28 March 2021. It was the opening race of the season of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. This win is first win of the season for Hamilton who now holds the records for the most wins (96), in Formula One history. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing-Netherlands) came second and Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) was third.

2. IPL 2021: Puma becomes Official Kit Partner of Royal Challengers Bangalore: Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore signed a strategic long-term partnership with global sports brand Puma. Under the terms of the deal, Puma will be the official kit partner of RCB from the upcoming season of the league. Puma already has an on-going association with RCB skipper Virat Kohli.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI inks USD 1 billion loan agreement with Japan Bank: India’s largest lender, State Bank of India, has raised $1 billion from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to extend loans to the supply chain of the Japanese automobile industry in India. The loan is in the form of refinancing against the funding support provided to the manufacturers, suppliers and dealers of Japanese automobiles in India. This collaboration between SBI and JBIC will help the bank in extending loan facility to the entire supply chain at a time when people are preferring a personal mode of transport. Now the total loan facility between SBI and JBIC has become $2 billion. Earlier in October 2020, SBI inked a similar agreement for $1 billion with JBIC.

Note: SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara; SBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

2. Axis Bank to sell UK arm to tech platform: Private sector lender Axis Bank has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement for sale of 100 per cent stake in its subsidiary, Axis Bank UK Limited to OpenPayd Holdings Ltd. The agreement was entered on March 31, 2021, and the transaction is subject to approval by the UK Financial Regulator, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

The consideration or the value for the transaction would be the completion net asset value (book value of the bank on the date of completion), plus a fixed premium of $5,500,000. Axis Bank expects the sale to be completed by September 30, 2021 subject to the approval of ‘Change in Control’, received from the UK Financial Regulator, the PRA.

Note: Axis Bank Commenced operations: 1994; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Axis Bank Tagline: Dil Se Open; Axis Bank MD and CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Govt pegs market borrowing at Rs 7.24 lakh crore in 1st half of FY22: The government has decided to borrow Rs 7.24 lakh crore in the first half of 2021-22 fiscal (FY22) to meet resources to revive the economy hit by coronavirus pandemic. This borrowing is 60.06 per cent of the estimated gross issuances for fiscal 2021-22. According to Budget 2021-22, the estimated gross borrowing is pegged at Rs 12.05 lakh crore in the financial year beginning April 01, 2021. The government raises money from the market to fund its fiscal deficit through dated securities and treasury bills.

2. World Bank raises GDP growth projection for India to 10.1% for FY22: The World Bank has revised upward the GDP growth projections for India by 4.7 percentage points to 10.1 per cent for the financial year 2021-22, due to a strong rebound in private consumption and investment growth. Earlier the bank had pegged the GDP growth at 5.4 per cent for FY22. Apart from this, the World Bank has forecast the economy to contract by 8.5 per cent in FY21 (2020-21). The multilateral agency has also projected economic growth at 5.8 per cent for India during FY23 (2022-23).

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

DEFENCE

1. Indian Army to participate in Military Exercise SHANTIR OGROSHENA 2021: A multinational Military Exercise named ‘SHANTIR OGROSHENA’ 2021 (Front Runner of the Peace) is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh from April 04 to 12, 2021. The theme of the exercise is “Robust Peace Keeping Operations”. The exercise is being held to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangladesh ‘Father of the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mark glorious 50 years of liberation of the country.

About the exercise: The Indian Army is also participating in this multinational exercise, along with a contingent of the Royal Bhutan Army, Sri Lankan Army and Bangladesh Army. The Indian contingent will comprise 30 personnel including Officers, JCOs and Jawans of a Battalion from The DOGRA Regiment. USA, UK, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore will also attend the exercise as Military observers.

2. Indian Navy to participate in French Naval Exercise in Bay of Bengal with QUAD nation: The Indian Navy is scheduled to participate in France-led naval drill named “La Perouse”, which will be held from April 5 to 7, 2021 in the Bay of Bengal. The participating nations also include the other Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) member countries namely Australia, Japan and the United States of America (USA). This is the first time that the Indian Navy will take part in ‘La Perouse’. Until now, India was not invited for the French naval exercise.

Daily GK Update - 1st April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AYUSH Ministry in collab with Vinoba Seva Pratishthan organizes ‘Ayurveda Parav’: In a bid to promote Ayurveda as the mainstream treatment for the prevalent lifestyle-related diseases, Vinoba SevaPratisthan (VSP), in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH, has successfully organized a 3-day “Ayurveda Paravin Bhubaneswar. This unique initiative aims to not only ensure greater acceptance of Ayurveda among the masses but also to popularize Ayurveda as the main line of treatment for the current lifestyle diseases. The Ministry of AYUSH provided full-fledged support to this programme. During this Parv, nearly 25 research papers were presented by experts and researchers. The initiative generated tremendous response as thousands of patients turned up and showed their trust towards Ayurveda medication. They did get their diagnosis and consequent medicine.

Note: Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of AYUSH: Shripad Yesso Naik.

2. PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline extended to June 30: The central government has extended the deadline for linking the Aadhaar number with the permanent account number (PAN) to June 30, 2021, in view of the difficulties arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The earlier deadline was March 31. The government had said those who miss the deadline will be liable to pay a penalty of up to Rs 1,000 and their PAN will become invalid. The date for issue of notice under Section 148 of Income Tax Act, 1961, the passing of consequential order for direction issued by the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) and processing of equalisation levy statements has also been extended to 30th April 2021. The government passed the Finance Bill 2021 in the Lok Sabha last week where it inserted a new section 234H under which a person shall be liable to pay a late fee of up to Rs 1,000 in case of non-linking of their PAN with Aadhaar.

Note: UIDAI Founded: 28 January 2009; UIDAI Headquarters: New Delhi; UIDAI CEO: Saurabh Garg.

3. Bihar becomes first state to have two green towns: Bihar is set to become the country’s first state to have two green energy efficient towns in Rajgir and Bodh Gaya. The towns will start getting solar energy through the first of its kind renewable energy project from 2023. After Rajgir and Bodh Gaya, Patna’s many important government offices including the governor house, the Patna High Court, the Bihar Museum and the Vidhyut Bhawan would also get round the clock green energy supply being developed with the help of the Solar Energy Corporation of India. To implement this poject, the state government has decided to use the land available in Lakhisarai and Bhagalpur district to construct solar energy plants.

4. Utkal Divas or Odisha Day is celebrated on 1 April: Utkal Divas or Utakala Dibasha is celebrated on April 1 every year to remember the formation of the Odisha state after a struggle to be recognised as an independent state. Under British rule, Odisha was part of the Bengal presidency, which consisted of the present-day Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. The state was originally called Orissa but the Lok Sabha passed the Orissa Bill, and Constitution Bill (113rd amendment), in March 2011 to rename it Odisha.

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

5. A book titled “Names of the Women” by Jeet Thayil: A book titled “Names of the Women” authored by Jeet Thayil. The book talks about the women whose roles were suppressed, reduced, or erased in the Gospels. Jeet Thayil is a renowned author, best known for his book ‘Narcopolis’ which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012 and won the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. His most recent book ‘Low’ was released in 2020.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. WEF’s Gender Gap Index: India Slips 28 Places, Ranks 140 among 156 Countries: India has slipped 28 places to rank 140th among 156 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, becoming the third-worst performer in South Asia. According to the report, India has closed 62.5 per cent of its gender gap till date. For the 12th time, Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world. The top 10 most gender-equal countries include Finland, Norway, New Zealand, Rwanda, Sweden, Ireland and Switzerland. Among India’s neighbours, Bangladesh ranked 65, Nepal 106, Pakistan 153, Afghanistan 156, Bhutan 130 and Sri Lanka 116. Among regions, South Asia is the second-lowest performer on the index, with 62.3 per cent of its overall gender gap closed.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. Thisara Perera becomes first Sri Lankan to hit six Sixes in an Over: Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera has become the first cricketer from the island nation to hit six sixes from one over. He achieved the feat on March 28, 2021 during a domestic match in Colombo while playing for Army Sports Cricket Club in List A match against Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club. He scored an unbeaten 52 runs from 13-ball, and thus smashing the second-fastest half-century in List A cricket.

 BANKING AND FINANCE 

1. Union Bank of India launched “UNI – CARBON CARD”: Union Bank of India has launched “UNI – CARBON CARD”, an HPCL co-branded credit card on the Rupay platform of NPCI. It is a unique card designed with association with one of the largest Public Sector Bank, Union Bank of India and HPCL, a leader in the fuel retail and Rupay – India’s largest card payment network. It will create an opportunity to create value for the customers. Benefit:

(1) The Bank is having a total network of 9590+ branches and 13280+ ATMs across India, this co-branded credit card is a Bank’s maiden joint venture.

(2) While using this card at HPCL retail outlets, the cardholder gets Cashback/Rewards in addition to the waiver of fuel surcharge provided by the Bank.

(3) Cardholders will be able to enjoy many freebies and offer brought out by NPCI such as Entertainment, Lifestyle, Travel, Shopping, Food delivery, etc.,

(4) The card is offered to salaried and others. The card limit offered is 20% of gross annual income with a minimum of Rs 50,000/- with no upper limit.

Note: Union Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Union Bank CEO: Rajkiran Rai G; Union Bank Founded: 11 November 1919; Union Bank Tagline: Good People to Bank with.

 BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Centre releases Rs 30,000 crore as GST compensation for FY21: Central Government has released GST Compensation of Rs. 30,000 crore to States as part compensation admissible for FY 2020-21 on 27th March, 2021. The total amount of compensation released so far for the year 2020-21 is Rs. 70,000 crore. As per the decision of GST Council, back to back loan of Rs. 1,10,208 crore has also been released in lieu of shortfall in release of GST Compensation for FY 2020-21. In addition to above, Centre has also released Rs. 28,000 crore (Rs. 14,000 crore to States and Rs. 14,000 crore to Centre) by way of adhoc settlement of IGST on 30th March’ 2021.

 AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 66th Filmfare Awards 2021: The awards for the 66th annual Filmfare awards were announced. The event was hosted by actors Rajkummar Rao and Riteish Deshmukh. Despite the difficulties the film industry faced during 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Filmfare decided it was important to commemorate the best of Indian cinema. Among the winners was the late Irrfan Khan, who won the award for best actor in a leading role (male) category, while Amitabh Bachchan bagged the best actor (critics) Award.

Complete list of Bollywood celebrities, who won big at the 66th Filmfare Awards 2021:

Best Film: Thappad

Best Film (Critics): Prateek Vats (Eeb Allay Ooo!)

Best Director: Om Raut (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)

Best Actor in a Lead Role (MALE): Irrfan Khan (Angrezi Medium)

Best Actor (Critics): Amitabh Bachchan (Gulabo Sitabo)

Best Actor in a Lead Role (Female): Taapsee Pannu (Thappad)

Best Actress (Critics): Tillotama Shome (SIR)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Saif Ali Khan (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Farrokh Jaffar (Gulabo Sitabo)

Best Story: Anubhav Sushila Sinha and Mrunamayee Lagoo Waikul (Thappad)

Best Screenplay: Rohena Gera (SIR)

Best Dialogue: Juhi Chaturvedi (Gulabo Sitabo)

Best Debut Director: Rajesh Krishnan (Lootcase)

Best Debut Female: Alaya F (Jawaani Jaaneman)

Best Music Album: Pritam (Ludo)

Best Lyrics: Gulzar (Chhappak)

Best Playback Singer (male): Raghav Chaitanya – Ek Tukda Dhoop (Thappad)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Asees Kaur (Malang)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Irrfan Khan.

 DEFENCE

1. India, US Carry out Joint Military Drill in Himachal Pradesh: The 11th edition of Indo-US joint Special Forces exercises Vajra Prahar 2021 was conducted at Special Forces training school located at Bakloh, in Himachal Pradesh. The exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ is aimed at sharing best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics. The exercise was aimed at improving interoperability between the special forces of the two countries. The armies of participating nations jointly train, plan and execute a series of operations for neutralisation of threats of varied nature with a common aim of countering threats of international terrorism through mutual training and jointness.

 OBITUARIES

1. Beloved children’s author of US, Beverly Cleary passes away: Beloved children’s author of US, Beverly Cleary passed away. She was named a Living Legend in 2000 by the Library of Congress. In 2003, she was chosen as one of the winners of the National Medal of Arts. The author whose memories of her Oregon childhood were shared with millions through the likes of Ramona and Beezus Quimby and Henry Huggins.

Daily GK Update - 31st March, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Women-led startup develops wireless product ‘Giga Mesh’ for reliable low-cost internet services to rural areas: Bengaluru-based women-led startup, Astrome, has developed an innovative wireless product called Giga Mesh, which can provide reliable low-cost internet services to suburban and rural areas. The Giga Mesh is a wireless product with the ability to provide quality, high-speed rural telecom infrastructure at 5 times lower cost.  It will give fibre like bandwidth at fraction of cost of fibre. This product may prove to be boon for the rural areas as providing internet access at remote places is difficult because laying fibre is too expensive. Besides, the currently available wireless backhaul products either do not provide sufficient data speeds or the required range, or are very expensive to deploy. Astrome is a deep tech startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and supported by DST-ABI Woman Startup Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The team was led by Dr. Neha Satak, co-founder and chief executive officer at Astrome.

2. Education Minister inaugurates ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ at IIM Jammu: Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal has inaugurated “Anandam: The Center for Happiness” at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu virtually. The centre will help people overcome mental stress and help spread positivity and it will encourage and propagate holistic development for all the stakeholders at IIM Jammu. Lieutenant Governor, Jammu, and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha; Founder, Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar virtually graced the occasion. The purpose of establishing ‘Anandam’ at IIM Jammu is to bring holistic well-being. Regular physical exercises at the Center will contribute to the wellness at the physical level for both the students and the faculty. Under the concept of ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ will be divided into five broad categories, namely, Counselling, Holistic wellness, Elective courses on Happiness Development, Research and Leadership & Faculty Development.

3. Jal Shakti Minister approves Rs. 465 crore as Performance Incentive fund for seven states under JJM: Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat has approved Rs. 465 crore as Performance Incentive fund for seven states under Jal Jeevan Mission. These states are Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. For performance incentive grant, the criteria includes physical and financial progress under Jal Jeevan Mission, functionality of piped water supply schemes and capacity to utilize the fund.

                                    INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US President Biden invites PM Modi to Leaders’ Summit on Climate: President Joe Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to a US-hosted virtual summit on climate next month to underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action. Biden will host a two-day climate summit of world leaders starting on Earth Day, April 22, in which he will outline the US goal for reductions of carbon emissions by 2030, known as the nationally determined contribution under the historic Paris accord. The White House said a total of 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, were invited to the conference, which will be live-streamed to the public.

Other leaders invited for the summit include Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering are the other two leaders from South Asia to be invited for the mega-conference.

2. World Bank Releases “World Development Report 2021″: The “World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives” was released by the World Bank. The World Development Report focuses on how data can improve the lives of poor people and advance development objectives, to ensure no one is left behind. It highlights the tremendous potential of the changing data landscape to improve the lives of poor people, at the same time acknowledging its potential to open back doors that can harm individuals, businesses, and societies.

Through this report, World Bank aims to support its client countries by identifying where public and private sector investments are the most critical, defining a rich program for policy reform and technical assistance, and highlighting areas in which global initiatives can help to convene and facilitate cross-border cooperation.

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

3. Global Wind Report 2021: 2020 was Best Year for Wind Industry: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry as this sector installed 93GW of new capacity in 2020, according to a new report titled ‘Global Wind Report 2021, released by the Global Wind Energy Council. This is the 16th annual flagship report, released by GWEC on March 25, 2021. The 93GW represents a 53% year-on-year increase.

As per the report:

(1) The global wind power market increased four times in size over the past decade but the record growth was seen in 2020. This increase was driven by a surge of installations in China and the US alone

(2) Together, the US and China installed 75% of new installations in 2020 and account for over half of the world’s total wind power capacity.

(3) In the current scenario, 743GW of wind power capacity has been installed worldwide, which is helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.

(4) However, GWEC’s report shows that the current rate of wind power installed will not be enough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The world needs to install a minimum of 180 GW of new wind energy every single year to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

(5) Similarly, it will need to increase the capacity to 280GW annually to meet the net-zero emission target by 2050.

Note: Global Wind Energy Council Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; Global Wind Energy Council CEO: Ben Backwell; Global Wind Energy Council Founded: 2005.

4. International Transgender Day of Visibility: 31st March: International Transgender Day of Visibility observed globally on 31st March every year. The day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

History of the Day: The day was founded by US-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall of Michigan in 2009. As a reaction to the lack of LGBT recognition of transgender people, citing the frustration that the only well-known transgender-centred day was the Transgender Day of Remembrance which mourned the murders of transgender people but did not acknowledge and celebrate living members of the transgender community. The first International Transgender Day of Visibility was held on March 31, 2009. It has since been spearheaded by the U.S.-based youth advocacy organization Trans Student Educational Resources.

5. International Day of Drug Checking: 31 March: The International Day of Drug Checking takes place on March 31 every year since 2017 to ensure people are educated on drugs and aware of their effects. The day aims to promote harm reduction initiatives of drugs and reduce drug-related risks.

6. World Backup Day: 31 March: World Backup Day is marked every year on March 31 the day aims to reminds us to protect our precious digital documents as we’ve become more reliant on technology. It is a day for people to learn about the increasing role of data in our lives and the importance of regular backups.

History of World Backup Day: World Backup Day was started in 2011, by digital consultant Ismail Jadun. Jadun saw a post on Reddit, where a user wrote about losing their hard drive and wishing someone had reminded them about how important it is to backup your data. Jadun thought it would be a good idea to have a global day to remind everyone to sit down and back up all the files and documents they don't want to lose. He chose March 31st as the date to observe World Backup Day because it is the day before April Fool's, and only a fool would forget to backup their data.

 OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. IPL 2021: CSK appoints Equitas Small Finance Bank as official retail banking partner: Equitas Small Finance Bank has renewed its partnership with Chennai Super Kings for the IPL season 2021. It will be the ‘Official Retail Banking Partner’ for the team. In line with the brand ethos and the logo positioning at the back of the helmet & cap, it is also going to launch a new campaign titled “The Bank Behind Every Champion”. The new campaign will be aimed to communicate that, Equitas has been transforming lives of individuals through their lending and social responsibilities over time with the support and funds of people who are banking with them.

 BANKING AND FINANCE

1. HDFC Bank Named India’s Best SME Bank by Asiamoney: HDFC Bank has adjudged the ‘India’s Best Bank for SMEs’ at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards 2021. In its evaluation, the magazine said on its website – “HDFC Bank’s transformation of its micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) business over the past few years makes it a worthy winner of this award.” The Annual Best Banks survey of the financial magazine based in Hong Kong aims to identify which banks in each market have excelled across a range of core banking activities over the past 12 months.

Asiamoney’s award decisions were made by a team of senior journalists after receiving detailed submissions from market participants and in conjunction with research into the banking and capital markets by our editorial committee. Senior editors also visited each country or territory to meet leading bankers and gather client and competitor feedback.

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

 BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. SAIL Chairperson Soma Mondal appointed Chairperson of SCOPE: Soma Mondal, the chairperson of the state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), was on March 26, 2021, elected the new chairperson of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE). Mondal will have a two-year term starting April; she took charge of SAIL on January 1, 2021.

About the SCOPE: SCOPE is an apex professional organization representing the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). It promotes excellence in organisations where public investment is involved, in order to enable them to be globally competitive.

Note: SAIL Headquarters: New Delhi; SAIL founded: 19 January 1954.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Dr Sharankumar Limbale to receive Saraswati Samman 2020: Noted Marathi writer Dr Sharankumar Limbale will receive Saraswati Samman, 2020 for his book Sanatan. The award carries fifteen lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque. Saraswati Samman, instituted by KK Birla Foundation in 1991, is recognised as the most prestigious and highest literary award in the country. Dr Limbale’s Sanatan has been published in 2018. Sanatan is an important social and historical document of the Dalit struggle. Speaking first to All India Radio, Dr Limbale was overjoyed with emotion as he started his career with the public broadcaster.

OBITUARIES

1. 1971 Battle of Basantar hero, Lt Gen Pinto (retd) passes away: Lieutenant General, Walter Anthony Gustavo ‘WAG’ Pinto (Retd), a military hero who led an infantry division to a legendary victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan War has passed away at the age of 97. He led the 54 Infantry Division in the Battle of Basantar in the war that gave birth to Bangladesh, leading his troops from the front with the motto he coined “bash on regardless”.