Daily GK Update- 5th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Army Launches First Solar Plant in North Sikkim: The Indian Army recently launched the first Green Solar Energy harnessing plant in Sikkim. It was launched to benefit the troops of the Indian army. The plant uses Vanadium based battery technology. It was built at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The capacity of the plant is 56 KVA. It was completed in collaboration with IIT Mumbai.

About the Vanadium: In January 2021, Vanadium was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh. This was the first discovery of Vanadium in India. India consumes 4% of global vanadium production in the world. It is found in sixty different minerals and ores that includes carnotite, vanadate, roscoelite, patronite. Vanadium is used in making steel alloys, space vehicles, nuclear reactors, etc. It is also used in making girders, piston rods. Vanadium redox batteries are used in superconducting magnets. They are also used to create reliable renewable sources of energy. The colour of Vanadium is silver. It is a transitional metal, that is, a good conductor of heat and electricity.

Note: Chief Minister of Sikkim: PS Golay; Governor of Sikkim: Ganga Prasad.

 

2. PepsiCo Foundation partners with SEEDS to set up COVID care centres: PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, said it has partnered with the not-for-profit organisation, Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) to launch a community COVID-19 vaccination drive and set up COVID care centres. To focus on Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. As part of the partnership, SEEDS will drive Covid-19 vaccinations for the community at large, set up Covid care centres equipped with beds and medical facilities, including oxygen cylinders.

Under the partnership: Over 1 lakh vaccines doses will be provided to communities, to be administered through the local healthcare system, while five COVID care centres will be set up for three months that will be equipped with beds and medical facilities, including oxygen cylinders, PepsiCo India said in a statement. Moreover, over 100 oxygen concentrators will be provided to the Central government for distribution to various government hospitals across states, it added.

 

3. Government sets food grain output target at record 307.31 million tonnes: Amid scare of Covid-19 second wave which forced the States and Union Territories to impose lockdown like curbs, the Government set a record rice production target of 104.3 million tonne for the kharif season of 2021-22 crop year (July-June). However, the overall foodgrains production target for the full 2021-22 crop year is kept at 307.31 million tonne. This includes production of 151.43 million tonnes of food grains during kharif (summer) season and 155.88 million tonnes during rabi (winter) season. Meanwhile, the government has asked five non-traditional onion growing states-Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh to increase the area sown under the crop by 9,900 hectares in the forthcoming kharif season to avoid any price rise situation.

 

4. ADB gives $1.5 billion loan to India to support covid-19 response: The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $1.5 billion loan that will support the government’s response to the covid-19 pandemic, focusing on immediate priorities such as disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection for the poor and economically vulnerable sections of the society, especially women and disadvantaged groups. Earlier, the ADB’s Board of Directors approved the loan to provide budget support to the government to counter and mitigate the adverse health and socio-economic impact of the pandemic.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Scientists discover the smallest known black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy dubbed ‘The Unicorn’: Scientists have discovered what may be the smallest-known black hole in the Milky Way galaxy and the closest to our solar system — an object so curious that they nicknamed it ‘the Unicorn.’ The researchers said the black hole is roughly three times the mass of our sun, testing the lower limits of size for these extraordinarily dense objects that possess gravitational pulls so strong not even light can escape. A luminous star called a red giant orbits with the black hole in a so-called binary star system named V723 Mon. The black hole is located about 1,500 light years — the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km — from Earth

 

2. International Day of the Midwife: 5th May: International Day of the Midwife is observed globally on 5 May every year since 1992. This day is celebrated to recognise the work of midwives and raise awareness about the status of midwives for the essential care they provide to mothers and their newborns. The theme for 2021 International Day of the Midwife is “Follow the Data: Invest in Midwives.”

History of the day: The idea of having a day to recognize and honour midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. International Midwives’ Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has been observed in more than 50 nations around the world.

Note: International Confederation of Midwives President: FrankaCadee; International Confederation of Midwives Headquarters: Hague, Netherlands.

 

3. World Hand Hygiene Day: 5th May: Every year, the World Hand Hygiene Day is observed on May 5. The day is organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness among people across the globe about the importance of hand hygiene in warding off many serious infections. The theme for 2021 is ‘Seconds Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’. The day recognizes hand washing as one of the most effective actions that can be taken to avoid a huge range of infections including the COVID-19 virus.

Note: Director-General of the World Health Organization: TedrosAdhanom; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Asian Boxing Championship moved from India to UAE due to Covid-19 crisis: The Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) has moved the Asian boxing championships from New Delhi to Dubai due to the worsening pandemic situation in the country. The continental event, which was earlier postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, will be co-hosted by the UAE Boxing Association and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) from May 21 to June 1, which is one day more than the original schedule.

 

2. Mark Selby becomes World Snooker Champion: In Snooker, English professional player Mark Selby has become the World Snooker Champion for the fourth time. He won the Championship title after defeating fellow mate Shaun Murphy by 18-15 victory at a professional snooker tournament that took place from 17 April to 3 May 2021 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. Prior to this, Selby won the Championship title in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI allocates Rs 71 cr for fight against coronavirus: The country’s largest lender SBI announced allocating Rs 71 crore towards the fight against COVID-19, a part of which will be used to set up a makeshift 1,000-bed hospital for the treatment of patients in some of the worst-affected states. The state-owned lender has allocated Rs 30 crore for a makeshift hospital while Rs 21 crore will be used to support initiatives such as procurement of life-saving healthcare equipment, oxygen supply to hospitals, Covid-care centres, ambulances, PPE kits, masks as well as food relief efforts.

Besides, Rs 10 crore will be used to supplement government’s effort in genome sequencing, and Rs 10 crore will be earmarked to collaborate with on-ground NGOs to address the community needs.

 

2. Labour Min hikes maximum sum assured payable under EDLI scheme to Rs 7 lakh: The labour ministry has implemented a decision of retirement fund body EPFO’s trustees to hike the maximum sum assured payable under the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 to Rs 7 lakh from the existing Rs 6 lakh. The CBT had also decided to continue payment of minimum sum assured of Rs 2.5 lakh under the scheme beyond February 14, 2020. This amendment was aimed at providing additional succour to families and dependents of members of the scheme in case of their unfortunate death while in service.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Goldman Sachs lowers GDP growth forecast for India in FY22 to 11.1%: Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs has cut the GDP growth rate estimate for the Indian economy to 11.1 per cent in fiscal year FY22 (April 01, 2021, to March 31, 2022), due to increasing intensities of lockdowns by states to check the spread of coronavirus infections. Goldman Sachs has also revised the 2021 Calendar Year growth forecast to 9.7 per cent, from the previous estimate of 10.5 per cent.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Armed Forces Launches Op “CO-JEET” for Mental Health Of COVID Patients: The armed forces have launched operation “CO-JEET” to aid anti-COVID-19 efforts, like strengthening the medical system in India and oxygen supply chains. Along with these, CO-JEET also take measures to ensure the mental wellbeing of people. Apart from medical therapy, patients necessitate the assurance that “they will be fine” and at times that is all they need to gain back self-confidence and courage.

Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical) Kanitkar is the third woman to become a three-star general in the armed forces. Vice Admiral Dr. Punita Arora & Air Marshal PadmavathyBandopadhyay are the 1st & 2nd.

Under the CO-JEET plan, personnel of the three wings of the armed forces have been pressed into service to help restore oxygen supply chains, set up COVID beds and provide help to the civilian administration in its fight to control the outspread of the virus. The operation also attempts to provide additional beds across the country for mixed COVID-19 management.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Director and Cinematographer KV Anand passes away: Tamil director-cinematographer KV Anand passed away in Chennai due to Covid-19 related complications. He was 54. Starting his career as a photojournalist, Anand later moved to the movie world as a cinematographer and then as a movie director. Anand made his movie debut as a cinematographer in the Malayalam movie ThenmaavinKombath for which he had won a national award.

 

2. Aeronautical Scientist Manas Bihari Verma Passes Away: The Indian aeronautical scientist, Manas Bihari Verma, who played an instrumental role in the development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) – Tejas, has passed away. He worked as a scientist at the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) for 35 years in the aeronautical stream. He was given the responsibility for the design of the Tejas aircraft mechanical system, where he led the team responsible for the full-scale engineering development of the Tejas aircraft in the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). The noted scientist has conferred the Padma Sri civilian honour in 2018. 

Daily GK Update- 4th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Mamata Banerjee takes oath as West Bengal CM for the 3rd consecutive time:Mamata Banerjee was sworn as West Bengal Chief Minister for the third time in the shadow of Covid and post-poll violence in parts of the state. The oath ceremony took place with Covid protocols in place at the “Throne Room” at the Raj Bhavan. The rest of the cabinet and the council of ministers will be sworn in on May 9, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Mamata Banerjee won a landslide victory in the Bengal election to secure a third straight term. The Trinamool won 213 of 292 seats while its strongest rival, BJP, finished second with 77 seats. Mamata Banerjee will head to her office Nabanna, where she will be given a guard of honour by the Kolkata Police.

Note: West Bengal Governor: JagdeepDhankhar.

 

2. Justice Pant appointed NHRC acting chairperson: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Justice (retired) Prafulla Chandra Pant had been appointed as the acting chairperson of the Commission with effect from April 25. A former Supreme Court judge, Justice Pant was appointed member of the NHRC on April 22, 2019.  The post of a chairperson has been vacant since Justice H.L. Dattu, a former Chief Justice of India, completed his tenure on December 2, 2020. Previously, he was appointed the first Chief Justice of the newly established Meghalaya High Court at Shillong on 20th September 2013 and continued till 12th August 2014.

Note: National Human Rights Commission Formed: 12 October 1993; National Human Rights Commission Jurisdiction: Government of India; National Human Rights Commission Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

3. Facebook to introduce vaccine finder tool on mobile app in India: Facebook has partnered with the Indian government to roll out a vaccine finder tool on its mobile app in India, which will help people identify places nearby to get inoculated. The social media giant had, earlier this week, announced a USD 10 million grant for emergency response efforts for the COVID-19 situation in the country. About the partnership:

(1) Partnering with the Government of India, Facebook will begin rolling out its Vaccine Finder tool on the Facebook mobile app in India available in 17 languages to help people identify places nearby to get the vaccine,”.

(2) In this tool, vaccine centre locations and their hours of operation have been provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

(3) The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 15.22 crore.

(4) Also, more than 2.45 crore people have registered themselves on the Co-WIN digital platform ahead of Phase-3 of the COVID-19 vaccination for those above 18 years that is set to start from May 1.

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

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. World’s largest aeroplane by Stratolaunch completes test flight: The world’s largest aeroplane, designed to transport hypersonic vehicles and facilitate easy access to space, soared into clear skies over California’s Mojave Desert. The company Stratolaunch designed it to transport hypersonic vehicles and facilitate easy access to space. The aircraft named ‘Roc’ features a twin-fuselage design and the longest wingspan ever flown, at 385 feet (117 m), surpassing the Hughes H-4 Hercules flying boat of 321 feet (98 m). The Stratolaunch is intended to carry a 550,000-pound payload and will be able to launch rockets from high altitude.

Note: Stratolaunch Headquarters: Mojave, California, USA; StratolaunchCEO & President: Jean Floyd.

 

2. International Firefighters’ Day: 4th May: The International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4 every year since 1999. The day is celebrated to recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. The day was instituted, after the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia on 2 December 1998.

 

3. Coal Miners’ Day: 4th May: Coal Miners’ Day is celebrated on May 4 to recognize the hard work of some of the great unsung heroes of the Industrial Revolution. The day is celebrated to show appreciation for the coal miners and honour their accomplishments. Coal miners spend most of the days digging, tunnelling and extracting coal from the mines. They dig deep into the Earth to bring out the riches that help to sustain our life. Coal mining is one of the toughest professions.

History of the day: The coal miners have been working for centuries, however, they became significantly important during the Industrial revolution between 1760 and 1840 when coal was used on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Coal is a natural resource that accelerate both economic and social development.

 

4. World Asthma Day 2021: 4th May: World Asthma Day is observed every year on the 1st Tuesday of May. This year, World Asthma Day is observed on May 4, 2021. The day spread awareness about asthma disease and care around the world. Whilst the primary focus is supporting the person with asthma, support may also extend to family, friends and caregivers. The theme for 2021 World Asthma Day is “Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions“.

History of World Asthma Day: World Asthma Day is annually organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). In 1998, the first World Asthma Day was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sindhu, Michelle Li appointed ambassadors for IOC’s ‘Believe in Sport’ campaign: The Badminton World Federation announced that India shuttler PV Sindhu and Canada’s Michelle Li have been nominated as athlete ambassadors for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ‘Believe in Sport’ campaign aimed at preventing competition manipulation. Sindhu and Li will be working alongside other athlete ambassadors from around the world to raise awareness on the topic of competition manipulation amongst athletes and encourage. The pair have been global ambassadors for BWF’s ‘i am badminton’ campaign since April 2020. The IOC’s ‘Believe in Sport’ campaign was launched in 2018 to raise awareness among athletes, coaches and officials of the threat of competition manipulation.

Note: International Olympic Committee Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; International Olympic Committee President: Thomas Bach; International Olympic Committee Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI imposes ₹3 crore penalty on ICICI Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹3 crores on ICICI Bank for non-compliance with its directions in the matter of shifting of securities from one category to another. The monetary penalty has been imposed on the Bank for contravention of certain directions contained in its Master Circular on ‘Prudential Norms for Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio by Banks.’

This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act). RBI observed that an examination of correspondence in the matter of shifting of securities from one category to another revealed, inter alia, contravention of the aforesaid directions issued by it. This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Barclays Projects India’s GDP Growth Forecast to 10% in FY22: UK-based global brokerage firm Barclays has cut India’s GDP growth estimate for 2021-22 (FY22) to 10 per cent from its earlier estimate of 11 per cent. Apart from this, Barclays has estimated the economy to contract by 7.6 per cent in FY21.

 

2. Kotak Mahindra Life appoints Mahesh Balasubramanian as MD: Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Limited (KLI) on 1st May announced it has appointed Mahesh Balasubramanian as managing director of the company. He has been appointed following the retirement of G Murlidhar. The company is in receipt of approval from the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India for the appointment of Balasubramanian. The appointment is for a period of three years. Suresh Agarwal has been elevated to MD & CEO of Kotak General Insurance.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Maria Ressa conferred UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize 2021: Maria Ressa has been named as the 2021 laureate of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. The $25,000 prize “recognizes outstanding contributions to the defence or promotion of press freedom especially in the face of danger,” according to UNESCO. The prize was named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist.

UNESCO cited Ressa’s more than a 3-decade career as a journalist, including her work as CNN’s lead investigative reporter for Asia and as news chief of Philippine broadcast giant ABS-CBN. Recently, her citation added, Ressa “has been the target of online attacks and judicial processes” for her investigative work and her position as CEO of Rappler.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Assam’s first female IAS officer Parul Debi Das passes away: Parul Debi Das, the first female IAS officer from Assam, passed away. She was an Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer. She was the daughter of the former cabinet minister of undivided Assam – Ramnath Das. She was the sister of former Assam Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das.

 

2. ‘Shooter Dadi’ ChandroTomar passed away: Shooter ChandroTomar, nicknamed ‘Shooter Dadi’, passed away at the age of 89 due to Covid-19. She was hailing from the Baghpat village in Uttar Pradesh, Tomar was 60-plus when she picked up the gun for the first time but went on to win many national competitions for veterans, her feats ultimately inspiring the award-winning Bollywood movie ‘SaandkiAankh’. 

Daily GK Update- 3rd May, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt targets 17 million tonnes mustard production by 2025-26: The Government plans to bring around nine million hectares of land under mustard cultivation and raise the production to around 17 million tonnes (mt) by 2025-26, according to Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Oilseeds), Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. In the Rabi of 2021, the area covered under mustard was around 7.3 million hectares and an increase of around 4 lakh hectares over the Rabi of 2020. To achieve the target for 2025-26, it is being planned to provide high quality seeds to the farmers, and the Government has embarked upon a proper seed planning.

 

2. Haryana allots 140 acre land to Flipkart for setting up its largest fulfilment centre in Asia: The Haryana government has approved allotment of 140 acres of land to e-commerce major Flipkart for setting up its largest fulfilment centre in Asia, having a covered area of 3 million square feet in PatliHajipur in Gurugram district’s Manesar. The land, belonging to Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC), has been allotted at a price of Rs 3.22 crore per acre.

 

3. Anand Mahindra launches Project ‘Oxygen on Wheels’: The Mahindra Group Chairman, Anand Mahindra has rolled out a project titled ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ to ease the transportation of oxygen from producing plants to hospitals and homes, following acute oxygen shortage amid a severe second wave of coronavirus. The ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ initiative will bridge the gap between oxygen production and its transportation in India, especially in Maharashtra.

Under the initiative:

(1) Mahindra has lined up around 70 Bolero pickup trucks to connect oxygen producers with hospitals and homes, to deliver oxygen cylinders.

(2) The project is being implemented through Mahindra Logistics.

(3) Apart from this, an operations control centre has been established and the storage location is replenished from the local refilling plant. A direct-to-consumer model is also being conceived.

Note: Mahindra Group CEO: Pawan Kumar Goenka; Mahindra Group Founded: 2 October 1945, Ludhiana.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India, Russia to establish a ‘2+2 ministerial dialogue’: India and Russia have agreed to establish a ‘2+2 Ministerial Dialogue’ at the Foreign &Defence Minister level between the two countries. Russia is the 4th country and 1st Non-Quad member country with which India has established the ‘2+2 Ministerial dialogue’ mechanism. India has such a mechanism with the US, Japan and Australia. It is expected to boost the bilateral strategic partnership between India & Russia. INDIA-RUSSIA RELATIONS:

(1) Relations between India and Russia are rooted in history, mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. This is a strategic partnership that has withstood the test of time, and which enjoys the support of the people of both countries.

(2) Diplomatic relations between India and Russia began even before India achieved independence, on 13 April 1947.

(3) In the period immediately following independence, the goal for India was attaining economic self-sufficiency through investment in heavy industry. The Soviet Union invested in several new enterprises in the areas of heavy machine-building, mining, energy production and steel plants.

(4) During India’s second Five Year Plan, of the sixteen heavy industry projects set up, eight were initiated with the help of the Soviet Union. This included the establishment of the world-famous IIT Bombay.

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

 

2. World Press Freedom Day: 3rd May: World Press Freedom Day is observed globally on 3 May every year. It is also known as World Press Day. The day also pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives. They risk their lives at times or may even have to face tough situations in order to bring the news from different corners of the world in front of the public. This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Information as a Public Good”. The theme is of urgent relevance to all countries across the world. It recognizes the changing communications system that is impacting our health, our human rights, democracies and sustainable development.

History of World Freedom Day: The General Assembly in the United Nations established World Freedom Day in 1993 to promote the independence of the Africa Press. This was followed by the Windhoek Declaration that was established to maintain the free press. As the declaration was made on the 3rd of May, hence the special day is observed each year on 3rd May.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sri Lankan all-rounder ThisaraPerera Announces Retirement: Sri Lankan all-rounder and former captain, ThisaraPerera has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending his international career which spanned nearly 12 years. Perera played six Tests, 166 ODIs (2338 runs, 175 wickets), and 84 T20Is (1204 runs, 51 wickets) for Sri Lanka, after making his debut in December 2009. The 32-year-old would continue to play domestic and franchise cricket.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SIDBI launches SHWAS and AROG Loan Schemes for MSMEs: The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), has launched two loan products for MSMEs to help them with the required financial support in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. These two new quick credit delivery schemes will facilitate funding for production and services related to the supply of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oximeters and essential drugs by MSMEs. The two new loan products are:

(1) SHWAS – SIDBI assistance to Healthcare sector in War Against Second wave of COVID19.

(2) AROG – SIDBI Assistance to MSMEs for Recovery & Organic Growth during COVID19 pandemic.

The schemes are devised under the guidance of the Government of India (GoI) which facilitates funding for production and services related to the supply of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oximeters and essential drugs.

Note: CMD of SIDBI: S Ramann; SIDBI set up on 2nd April 1990; SIDBI Headquarters: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

 

2. T Rabi Sankar named RBI deputy governor: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) executive director T Rabi Sankar has been named as the fourth Deputy Governor of the central bank. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment. He is in charge of the payments system, fintech, information technology and risk management at the RBI. He succeeds BP Kanungo as the deputy governor, who retired on April 2 after getting a one-year extension in his position.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. GST revenues touch all-time high of ₹1.41 lakh crore in April: Gross revenues from the Goods and Services Tax hit a record high of ₹1.41 lakh crore in April 2021 in India, suggesting economic activity may not yet be as badly affected amidst the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as last year. April’s GST collections surpassed the previous highest collections of ₹1.24 lakh crore in March 2021 by 14%, and mark the seventh month in a row since October that GST revenues have crossed ₹1 lakh crore. List of GST Collection previous months:

March 2021: Rs. 1.24lacs cr.

Feb 2021: Rs 1,13,143 crore

January 2021: ₹ 1,19,847 crore

 

2. Wipro overtakes HCL Tech to become third most-valued Indian IT firm: Wipro regained its position as the 3rd largest Indian IT services company by market capitalization of ₹ 2.65 trillion by suppressing HCL Technologies’ ₹ 2.62 trillion market cap. TCS remains at the top of the list with a market cap of ₹ 11.51 trillion followed by Infosys. Wipro has also announced its commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040, in line with the objective of the Paris Agreement to cap temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius. The country’s third-largest largest software services company has set an intermediate target of 55 per cent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 in absolute emission levels compared to its base year of 2016-17 (April-March).

Note: Chairman of Wipro Limited: RishadPremji; Wipro Headquarters: Bengaluru; Wipro MD and CEO: Thierry Delaporte.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy launches Operation SamudraSetu-II: The Indian Navy has launched Operation SamudraSetu-II to help in faster transportation of medical oxygen and other requirements from other countries to India, amid its worsening COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of operation ‘SamudraSetu II’, seven Indian Naval ships have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries. These warships are Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat. In 2020, the Indian Navy launched Operation SamudraSetu, as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, to repatriate approximately 4,000 stranded and distressed Indian citizens from the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Iran.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Sitar maestro PanditDevabrata Chaudhuri Passes Away: Sitar maestro PanditDebu Chaudhuri has passed away following COVID-19 related complications. The Legend of Sitar belonged to the Senia or Gharana style of music. He had been awarded the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri. He was also a teacher and writer and had penned six books and composed many new ragas. 

Daily GK Update- 2nd May, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Karnal Admin rolls out ‘Oxygen on wheels’ to tackle oxygen crisis: In wake of the acute oxygen shortage across the country, the Karnal administration (Haryana) has rolled out ‘Oxygen on wheels’ to assist hospitals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and oxygen crisis. The purpose is to ensure a smooth supply of medical oxygen to hospitals treating Covid patients. Under this initiative, a carrier vehicle called a Mobile oxygen bank loaded with 100 Oxygen Cylinders reaches out to any district hospital which requisitions its urgent supply. This Round clock service has been able to cater to the demands of various hospitals in the area. The initiative is functional 24*7 for all hospitals in the Karnal district.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya; Haryana Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

2. Google pledges Rs 135 crore in funding to help India fight Covid-19: As the Covid-19 crisis intensifies in India, tech companies are coming forward to offer help. Google has now announced Rs 135 crore in new funding for India, including two grants from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the tech giant. The total amount from these grants is Rs 20 crore. The first one will go to GiveIndia while the second fund is for UNICEF, both of which will help in procuring medical supplies and help families affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

 

3. VaishaliHiwase becomes 1st woman to be appointed officer commanding in BRO: Vaishali S Hiwase became the first woman officer to be appointed as officer commanding in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) where she will be responsible for providing connectivity through an Indo-China border road. Vaishali is from Wardha, Maharashtra, and has completed a successful demanding tenure in Kargil. In a first, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has appointed a woman officer to command a Road Construction Company (RCC) tasked to provide connectivity in a high-altitude area along the India-China border.

Note: Director-General of BRO: Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary; BRO Headquarters: New Delhi; BRO Founded: 7 May 1960.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. World’s most powerful weather, climate-change forecasting supercomputer to be built in UK: Microsoft and UK's Met Office have teamed up to build the world’s most powerful supercomputer to forecast weather and climate-change. Likely to be operational in 2022, the supercomputer will provide accurate warnings on severe weather and help protect from impact of increasingly extreme storms, floods and snow in the UK, the Met Office said in a release.

“Working together [with Microsoft], we will provide the highest quality weather and climate datasets and ever more accurate forecasts that enable decisions to allow people to stay safe and thrive,” Met Office CEO Penny Endersby, said in a release. “This will be a unique capability that will keep not just the Met Office but the UK at the forefront of environmental modelling and high-performance computing.”

 

2. World Laughter Day 2021: 2nd May: World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May every year. It is a day to raise awareness about laughter and its many healing benefits. In 2021, the day falls on 02 May 2021. World Laughter Day was first celebrated on May 10, 1998, in Mumbai upon the initiation of Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement.

 

3. World Tuna Day: 2nd May: World Tuna Day is observed globally on 2nd May every year. This day is established by the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness about the importance of tuna fish. It is observed for the first time in 2017. According to the UN, an outsized number of nations worldwide depend upon tuna for both food security and nutrition. At the same time, more than 96 countries have tuna fisheries, and their capacity is constantly growing.

History of World Tuna Day: The World Tuna Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by adopting resolution 71/124 in December 2016. Its aim was to spotlight the importance of conservation management and make sure that a system is required in place to prevent tuna stocks from crashing. The primary internationally recognized World Tuna Day was observed on 2 May 2017.

 

4. International Dawn Chorus Day 2021: 2nd May: The annual International Dawn Chorus Day is held on the First Sunday in May. In 2021, this day is being celebrated on 02 May 2021. The day is dedicated to listen to the sounds of birds, when birds sing at the start of a new day, at around 4:30. It is a magical reminder that the natural world lives its life all around us, every day, whether we listen or not. The day encourages people to rise early to listen bird songs. The first ever International Dawn Chorus Day was held in Birmingham, England in 1984, by the Urban Wildlife Trust (now The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Lewis Hamilton wins Portuguese Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton overtook title rival Max Verstappen and Mercedes team-mate ValtteriBottas to win the Portuguese Grand Prix. Verstappen finished second, while Bottas, who started from pole, came in a disappointing third place. Sergio Perez took the flag in fourth, with Lando Norris fifth for McLaren. The reigning Formula One champion dropped to third in the opening laps but made two impressive moves in nine race-winning laps to claim his second victory of the season.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI issues guidelines for appointment of statutory auditors of banks, NBFCs: The Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines for appointment of statutory auditors of banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), including housing finance companies.It will be applicable for financial year 2021-22 and onwards. However, non-deposit taking NBFCs with asset size below Rs 1,000 crore have the option to continue with their extant procedure. Banks and UCBs will be required to take prior approval of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for appointment/reappointment of SCAs/SAs, on an annual basis, the guidelines said. For entities with an asset size of Rs 15,000 crore and above as at the end of previous year, statutory audit should be conducted under joint audit of a minimum of two audit firms. All other entities should appoint a minimum of one audit firm for conducting statutory audit.

 

2. Amitabh Chaudhry Re-appointed as MD & CEO of Axis Bank: Amitabh Chaudhry has been re-appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of the private sector lender Axis Bank for three more years by the bank board. His second 3 years term will begin with effect from January 1, 2022, up to December 31, 2024. Chaudhry was first appointed as Managing Director (MD) and CEO of Axis Bank for a period of three years, with effect from January 1, 2019 up to December 31, 2021. Prior to that, he was the MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company.

Note: Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank Founded: 1993.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Indian Bank signs MoU with BSNL: Indian Bank signed an MoU with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to provide seamless telecom services to the Indian Bank at competitive market rates. This means the telco might be availing its services to the bank for a lower market rate than usual. The bank is already using the services of BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited for its Wide Area Network across the country Dr VK Sanjeevi, chief general manager of Chennai Telephones said that BSNL and its subsidiary MTNL is connecting 5,000 branches and ATMs of Indian Bank.

Note: Indian Bank Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Indian Bank CEO: PadmajaChunduru; Indian Bank Tagline: Your Own Bank, Banking That’s Twice As Good.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Chairman & MD: Pravin Kumar Purwar; Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

2. LIC Among Top Ten Most-Valuable Insurance Brand Globally: The state-owned insurance behemoth ‘Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)’ has emerged as the third strongest and the tenth most valuable insurance brand globally, in Brand Finance Insurance 100 report for 2021. The annual report is released by London-based brand valuation consultancy firm Brand Finance, to identify the most valuable and strongest insurance brands globally.

According to the report:

Most Valuable Indian Insurance Brand – LIC (10th)

Most Strongest Indian Insurance Brand – LIC (3rd)

Most Valuable Global Insurance Brand – Ping An Insurance, China

Most Strongest Global Insurance Brand – Poste Italiane, Italy

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Summary of the report:

(1) The brand value of LIC increased by almost 7 per cent to $8.65 billion in 2021.

(2) Chinese firm ‘Ping An Insurance’ emerged as the world’s most valuable insurance brand, despite recording a 26 per cent drop in brand value in 2021 over the previous year.

(3) In the strongest insurance brands category, Italy’s Poste Italiane was at the top position, followed by Mapfre of the US and LIC of India.

(4) However, the total brand value of the world’s top 100 most valuable insurance brands declined by 6 per cent from $462.4 billion in 2020 to $433.0 billion in 2021.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun honour to Shyamala Ganesh: The Japanese Government recently awarded the “Order of Rising Sun” to a Bengaluru based Japanese teacher, Shyamala Ganesh. She is a Japanese teacher at the Septuagenarian institution and also at the Ohara School of Ikebana in RT Nagar, Bengaluru. She has tutored more than hundreds of students since its inception 38 years ago. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

About “Order of the Rising Sun honour“: The award is presented to those who have made distinguished achievements in the promotion of Japanese culture, achievements in international relations, advancements in their field and conservation of the environment.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Film and TV Actor BikramjeetKanwarpal Passes Away: Actor BikramjeetKanwarpal, who has been a popular character in many films, TV shows and web series, has passed away due to Covid-19 complications. The actor was latest seen in Anil Kapoor’s series 24 and web series Special OPS. He was a retired Army officer. Some of his well-known films include Creature 3D, Horror Story, PremRatanDhanPayo, Bypass Road and Shortcut Romeo. 

Daily GK Updates - 1st May, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. TRIFED inks MoU with ‘The LINK Fund’ for tribal development: Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The LINK Fund, for a collaborative project titled “Sustainable Livelihoods For Tribal Households in India”.  Under the project, both the organisations will work together towards:

(1) Tribal Development and Employment Generation, by providing support to tribals for increasing value addition in their produce and products;

(2) Sustainable livelihoods and value addition, for the increase in income and employment generation through technological intervention for efficiency in value addition for MFPs, produce and crafts diversification, skill training and enhancement of value additions in minor forest produce.

LINK Fund: The LINK Fund is a Geneva, Switzerland based philanthropic operational foundation and practitioner-led fund, working towards eradicating extreme poverty and mitigating the effects of climate change.

TRIFED: TRIFED is a nodal agency under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, working for the empowerment of the tribals community in India.

 

2. Punjab cabinet approves hike in Ashirwad Scheme aid from ₹21,000 to ₹51,000: The Punjab Cabinet approved a hike in financial assistance under the Ashirwad scheme from Rs 21,000 to Rs 51,000 per beneficiary, with directions to clear all payment backlog under the scheme. The hike will come into effect from July 1, a government statement said after a virtual meeting of the Council of Ministers. This is the second hike in the scheme amount by the present government, which had earlier enhanced the assistance from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000 soon after it took over in 2017, while renaming the Shagun scheme as Ashirward scheme.

 

3. Madhya Pradesh govt launches Corona Warriors Scheme: In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has launched the Corona Warriors Scheme. The government will take the responsibility of family members of health workers who have passed away while on Corona duty.  Their families will be given honorarium of Rs 50 lakhs by the government. So far 80 lakh 66 thousand 980 doses of Corona vaccines have been administered in the state, out of which 70 lakh 19 thousand 763 first and 10 lakh 47 thousand 217 second doses have been administered.

 

4. Govt releases over Rs 8,873 cr for State Disaster Response Fund to all States for COVID-19 containment measures: As a special dispensation, Centre has released in advance over 8873 crore rupees for State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to all the States. The States can use up to 50 percent of the released amount for COVID-19 containment measures, that include meeting the cost of oxygen generation and storage plants in hospitals, ventilators, strengthening ambulance services, COVID-19 hospitals, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment, testing laboratories and testing kits.

 

5. Finance Ministry decides to provide additional amount of uptoRs 15,000 cr to States: The Finance Ministry has decided to provide an additional amount of upto 15 thousand crore rupees to States as interest free 50 year loan for spending on capital projects. The Department of Expenditure has issued fresh guidelines in this regard on the Scheme of Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure for the financial year 2021-22. This helped to sustain state level capital expenditure in the pandemic year. In view of the positive response to the scheme and considering the requests of the State Governments, the Government has decided to continue the scheme in the year 2021-22.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. UK become the first country to allow Driverless cars on roads: The United Kingdom has become the first country to announce regulation for the use of self-driving vehicles at low speeds. The UK wants to be at the forefront in rolling out autonomous driving technology. The Government of the UK forecasts that around 40% of UK cars will have self-driving capabilities by 2035. This will create 38,000 jobs in the country. The speed limit of the ALKS is to be set at 37 miles per hour. The ALKS shall drive itself in a single lane.

How do Self Driving Vehicles work: A self-driving vehicle is fully autonomous. No driver is required for the safe operation of the vehicle. Self-driving technologies have been developed by Uber, Google, Nissan, Tesla. Most of the self-driving systems maintain an internal map. They use lasers, sensors and radars to map their surroundings. Based on the map created, instructions are delivered to the actuators of the vehicle.

Note: Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson; Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

 

2. International Workers’ Day: 1st May: International Labour Day (also known as May Day or International Workers’ Day) is celebrated across the world on the 1st of May every year. The day celebrates the struggle, dedication and commitment of the working class and is an annual public holiday in several countries.

History of the day: On 1 May 1886, Chicago and a few other cities were the sites of a major union demonstration in support of the eight-hour workday demand. In 1889, the International Socialist Conference declared that in commemoration of the Haymarket affair, 1 May would be an international holiday for the labour force, now known as International Workers’ Day.

Note: Headquarters of International Labour Organization: Geneva, Switzerland; President of International Labour Organization: Guy Ryder; International Labour Organization Founded: 1919.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank launches Digital banking Platform ‘Merchant Stack’: The ICICI Bank has announced the launch of a digital and contactless banking platform, especially for retail merchants. The service, called ‘Merchant Stack’, is targeted at the over 2 crore retail merchants in the country, covering grocers, supermarkets, large retail store chains, online businesses and large e-commerce firms. Retail merchants can avail the ‘Merchant Stack’ services on InstaBIZ, the mobile banking application of ICICI Bank for businesses. The wide range of banking, as well as value-added services, will enable merchants to meet their banking requirements seamlessly so that they can continue to serve their customers in the challenging times during the pandemic. The banking services under Merchant Stack will include zero-balance current account, instant credit facilities, ‘digital store management’ facility, loyalty programme, and value-added services like alliances with e-commerce and digital marketing platforms.

 

2. HDFC Bank top arranger of corporate bond deals in FY21: HDFC Bank has emerged as the top arranger of corporate bond deals in 2020-21 (FY21). Axis Bank came in second, while ICICI Bank third. However, for the last quarter of FY21, i.e January- March 2021, Axis Bank was the top arranger of corporate bond deals while HDFC was second in the last quarter. Axis Bank managed 16 deals worth Rs. 106.6 billion while HDFC Bank had 19 deals worth around Rs 70.4 billion.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Niraj Bajaj named Bajaj Auto Chairman: Bajaj Auto has announced the appointment of Neeraj Bajaj as its new Chairman of the Board with effect from May 1, 2021. The automaker has also announced Rahul Bajaj as its Chairman Emeritus. This will be taken up at the ensuing annual general meeting for the approval of the shareholders. Rahul Bajaj, Non-executive Chairman of the Company, having been at the helm of the Company since 1972 and the Group for five decades, considering his age, has tendered his resignation as a non-executive director and Chairman of the Company with effect from close of business hours on 30 April 2021.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. NATO military exercises launched in Albania: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched joint military exercises “DEFENDER-Europe 21” in Albania with thousands of military forces from the United States and other countries in the first such large-scale drills since World War II in the Western Balkans. Albania is playing a critical part in the DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercise with Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore operations taking place.

About the exercises: DEFENDER-Europe is an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational exercise, defensive in nature and focused on deterring aggression, which this year focuses on building operational readiness and interoperability with NATO and a greater number of allies and partners over a wider area of operations than ever before. Around 28,000 U.S., allied and partner forces from 26 nations will conduct nearly simultaneous operations across more than 30 training areas in more than a dozen nations from the Baltics and Africa to the critical Black Sea and Balkan regions.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. American Astronaut-Pilot Michael Collins Passes Away: The American astronaut, Michael Collins, who was the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, has passed away, after losing his battle to cancer. During the three-man Apollo 11 crew mission in 1969, Collins kept the command module flying while the other two members, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. Collins spent seven years of his career as an astronaut with NASA.

 

2. Senior TV Journalist RohitSardana Passes Away: Renowned TV journalist and news anchor, RohitSardana, has passed away, due to a heart attack, following the deadly COVID-19 infection. The young journalist was just 41-year-old. Sardana was associated with Zee News since 2004, before moving to AajTak in 2017. With Zee News, he hosted TaalThokKe, a programme that discusses contemporary issues in India, while with AajTak, he was hosting the debate show ”Dangal.” Sardana was awarded the Ganesh Shankar VidyarthiPuraskar by the Indian government in 2018.