Daily GK Update- 22nd Aug, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India launches UNITE Aware Platform in collaboration with UN: India has launched a tech platform named “UNITE Aware”, in collaboration with the UN, for improving the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers. The platform was launched in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the UN headquarters. The launch of the UNITE AWARE platform came as India assumed the Presidency of the 15-nation UN Security Council for the month of August.

India has contributed USD 1.64 million for UNITE Aware. UNITE Aware platform will provide terrain-related information to the United Nations military personnel (Blue Helmets) in the line of duty. India has developed the technology platform in partnership with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Operational Support.

Note: Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations; Jean-Pierre Lacroix; Department of Peacekeeping OperationsFounded: March 1992; Department of Peacekeeping Operations Headquarters: New York, United States.

 

2. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to inaugurate country’s first smog tower: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will inaugurate the country’s first smog tower on August 23, 2021, at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place. The smog tower will clean 1,000 cubic metres of air every second and reduce PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels in Delhi. The smog tower will work with full force after the monsoon season. The scientists of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee will accordingly assess the performance of the tower and present a monthly report.

Note: Chief Minister of Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal; Lieutenant Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.

 

3. Faridabad Smart City ‘ropes in’ comic book icon Chacha Chaudhary to aid mission: Faridabad Smart City Limited has roped in an unlikely collaborator to help promote its initiatives on social media – comic hero Chacha Chaudhary. The social media campaign’s objective will be to promote the steps taken by the agency. The initiative will involve excerpts of Talking Comics. Each social media post will depict Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu, his loyal sidekick, guiding and teaching people on effectively using the infrastructure put in place.

The objective of the social media campaign would be to promote the steps the agency had taken, including the installation of CCTVs for surveillance, traffic rules, road safety, and waste management. The Centre has selected 100 cities to be developed as smart cities with each city getting Rs 100 crore per year on an average over a five-year period to complete the developments. Faridabad was selected to be part of the Smart City Mission in May 2016. Faridabad Smart City Limited was “incorporated” as a special purpose vehicle that September.

 

4. India Celebrates Sanskrit Week 2021 From August 19 To 25: In 2021, India is observing the Sanskrit Week from August 19 to August 25, 2021, to promote, popularise and cherish the importance of ancient language. In 2021, Sanskrit Day will be celebrated on August 22, 2021. The day is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan, which also marks the occasion of Raksha Bandhan each year. World Sanskrit Day was first declared in 1969, by the Indian Government on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

 

5. Onam, Harvest Festival of Kerala: Onam is the most revered and celebrated festival of Kerala, is celebrated every year by the Malayali community across the world. The 10-day long festival marks the beginning of harvest season as well as the appearance of the Vaman avatar of Lord Vishnu along with the homecoming of King Mahabali. The festival begins from Atham (Hasta) nakshatram, and ends on Thiruvonam (Shravana) nakshatram. This year, the harvest festival began on August 12 and will conclude on August 23. The 10 days of the festival are named on the names of astrological stars as per the Malayalam calendar.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. BRICS signs deal on cooperation in remote sensing satellite data sharing: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) signed an agreement for cooperation in remote sensing satellite data sharing, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The pact inked on August 17 enables building a virtual constellation of specified remote sensing satellites of BRICS space agencies and their respective ground stations will receive the data. This will contribute in strengthening multilateral cooperation among BRICS space agencies in meeting the challenges faced by mankind, such as global climate change, major disasters and environmental protection. The agreement was signed under India’s BRICS Chairship.

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

 

2. World Sanskrit Day 2021: 22nd August: World Sanskrit Day, (also known as Sanskrit Diwas), is celebrated every year on Shraavanapoornima, which is the Poornima day of the Shraavana month in the Hindu calendar, which is also marked as Raksha Bandhan. In 2021, this day is being observed on August 22, 2021. The day commemorates the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit and aims to promote its revival and maintenance. The Government of India decided to celebrate World Sanskrit Day in 1969, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan that falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravana.

 

3. International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief: 22nd August: The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is observed on August 22 every year since 2019. The day aims to remember the victims and survivors of evil acts on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.

History: The day was adopted at the 73rd UN General Assembly on 28 May 2019 as proposed by Poland. It spreads awareness that international communities must work together to achieve justice for the survivors of past abuses by holding perpetrators accountable and demonstrating to governments that action must be taken to ‘never again’ tolerate genocide or other atrocities.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Kotak Mahindra Bank launches ‘Neo Collections’ Digital Repayment platform: Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched a platform named ‘Neo Collections’, which is a Do It Yourself Digital Repayment Platform for missed loan repayments. Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched the Neo Collections platform in tie-up with Creditas Solutions. The main objective of this DIY digital repayment platform is to make repayments for outstanding loans more convenient for customers. Powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, the ‘Neo Collections’ platform delivers a personalised and non-intrusive experience thereby enabling customers to manage their dues seamlessly on their own through an intuitive repayment platform.

Note: Kotak Mahindra Bank Establishment: 2003; Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Kotak Mahindra Bank MD & CEO: Uday Kotak.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India ranks second in terms of crypto adoption in the world: India has ranked second in terms of crypto adoption worldwide behind Vietnam, but ahead of countries such as the US, UK, and China, according to the 2021 Global Crypto Adoption Index by blockchain data platform Chainalysis. This comes even as worldwide crypto adoption grew by 880% between June 2020 and July 2021, according to the report.

About the report:

(1) A report by US-based research platform Finder released this month corroborated that the top five countries in terms of crypto adoption were all from Asia.

(2) The company surveyed 47,000 users worldwide and 30% of those surveyed in India said they owned cryptocurrencies.

(3) Bitcoin is the most popular coin in India, followed by Ripple, Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash, according to the report.

(4) Crypto adoption in India has also been led by smaller towns in the country. The largest crypto exchange in the country by trading volume, WazirX, said last week that it had seen more than 2,648% growth in user sign-ups from tier II and tier III cities in India.

 

2. Amazon Alexa Gets Amitabh Bachchan’s Voice in India: Amazon has launched the voice of the 78-year-old Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as a part of its efforts to amuse existing users and attract new consumers to use its voice assistant over Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. With the new launch, the US tech giant has also brought its celebrity voice feature to India. The feature initially arrived in the US with the voice of American actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson in 2019. Amazon has made Amitabh Bachchan’s voice available on Alexa at an introductory price of Rs. 149 (MRP Rs. 299) for one year. Once the payment is confirmed, you will be able to start interacting with the actor’s voice. Amazon worked on enabling Bachchan’s voice on Alexa for the last few months. The experience is aimed to please his fans and attract new users to the voice assistant.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Rajnath Singh launches Defence India Startup Challenge- DISC 5.0: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 under Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) initiative, on August 19, 2021, in New Delhi. The Ministry of Defence has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for domestic procurement through the iDEX initiative for the financial year 2021-2022. The Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has approved budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore for iDEX for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

About the DISC: DISC is a platform wherein the Government, Services, think tanks, industry, startups and innovators can work together to help the defence & aerospace sectors reach full potential by creating a strong, modern & well-equipped military and equally capable & self-reliant defence industry.

 

2. All-women team of three armed forces summits Mt Manirang in Himachal: An ‘All Women Tri-Services Mountaineering Team’ successfully scaled Mt Manirang (21,625 ft) in Himachal Pradesh on August 15, 2021, and unfurled the national flag as a part of commemorative activities for ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’, to celebrate the 75 years of Independence. The 15-member expedition team was flagged off on August 01, 2021, from Air Force Station, New Delhi, by the Indian Air Force. The team was led by Wing Commander Bhavana Mehra of the Indian Air Force. 

Daily GK Update- 21st Aug, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha to become 1st Indian state to Provide Smart Health Cards: Odisha is all set to launch India’s first ‘Smart Health Cards scheme’ covering its 3.5 crore people of 96 lakh families under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. The information for the same was provided by Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik while addressing the 75th Independence Day celebrations in Bhubaneswar. The objective behind Smart Health Cards is to provide hassle-free quality treatment at the best available health care facilities. These cards will work like debit cards for a certain amount. Key Points:

(1) Through this scheme, Central Government health benefits can also be accessed.

(2) The beneficiaries of National and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antyodaya schemes will get this card and henceforth each family can avail treatment cost up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.

(3) Women members can avail of benefits up to Rs 10 lakh annually.

(4) The health benefits under this scheme can be availed in more than 200 hospital chains of the country including Odisha.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.

 

2. UP govt to set up Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) training centre: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up a training centre for Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) commandos in Saharanpur’s Deoband. According to sources, the government has already allotted over 2,000 square meters of land for establishing the ATS training centre in Deoband. Deoband is on the Uttaranchal and Haryana border and it is an important place to help us increase our depth, presence and operation efficiency in western parts of the state.

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

 

3. J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha launches PROOF App: In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has unveiled a mobile application named PROOF, to bring more transparency and accountability in the governance system. PROOF stands for ‘Photographic Record of On-site Facility’. The main objective of this app is to monitor the work progress of all the projects allocated to different departments of the UT and ensure timely completion of these projects.

Significance: The app will give a complete pictorial view of the work along with its geographical coordinates i.e. latitude and longitude and user comments on work progress. As per the new rules of the UT government, no bills shall be entertained in the treasury unless photographs of projects are uploaded. In order to get the bills passed, it will be mandatory to upload geo-tagged photographs to bring in more transparency and accountability in the system.

 

4. Amway India appoints Mirabai Chanu as brand ambassador: Direct selling FMCG firm Amway India has announced that it has appointed Olympian Saikhom Mirabai Chanu as the brand ambassador for Amway and its Nutrilite range of products. Chanu will spearhead the company’s campaigns focused on product ranges such as Nutrilite Daily, Omega and All Plant Protein among others. Chanu, a weightlifter, won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the women’s 49kg category.

 

5. PR Sreejesh to be brand ambassador of Kerala adventure tourism: Olympian Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (PR Sreejesh), goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian National Hockey team is set to be named as the brand ambassador of adventure tourism in Kerala. Sreejesh was a part of the Indian Hockey team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. PR Sreejesh hails from Ernakulam, Kerala.

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

 

6. A book on “OPERATION KHUKRI” released by CDS Gen Rawat: CDS General Bipin Rawat was presented a book “OPERATION KHUKRI” by authors Major General Rajpal Punia & Ms Damini Punia. The book highlights the Indian Army’s successful rescue mission in Sierra Leone as part of the United Nations. The year was 2000, Sierra Leone, in West Africa, had been ravaged by years of civil strife. With the intervention of the United Nations, two companies of the Indian Army were deployed in Kailahun as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

About the Operation Khukri: Operation Khukri was one of the Indian Army’s most successful international missions, and this book is a first-hand account by Major Rajpal Punia, who, after three months of impasse and failed diplomacy, orchestrated the operation, surviving the ambush of the RUF in prolonged jungle warfare twice, and returning with all 233 soldiers standing tall.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Piyush Goyal chairs 5th meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has chaired the fifth meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers and called for expanding the horizon of the New Development Bank (NDB). India holds the Chairship of BRICS for 2021. This year, India chose the theme of ‘Intra BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’ for its chairship. About the meeting:

(1) The BRICS ministers called for the need to adopt emerging new technologies, recognising it as an important tool for modernisation and transformation of industry, and promotion of economic growth.

(2) They also committed to play a constructive role towards the promotion of IPR, and expressed their intention to collaborate with NDB.

(3) The meeting concluded with the ministers committing to work together as a group, share best practices and move ahead in a positive and constructive manner to achieve the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

 

2. World Senior Citizen Day: 21st August: World Senior Citizen Day is observed globally on August 21 every year. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about issues affecting older people, such as deterioration with age and the abuse of the elderly and support, honour and show appreciation to seniors and to recognize their achievements.

The Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 14, 1990. The day was officially founded by the former President of the United States of America, Ronald Reagan in 1988 to dedicate a day to older adults and their issues.

 

3. International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism: 21st August: United Nations observes 21st August every year as the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. The day is observed to pay tribute to the individuals across the globe who have been attacked, injured, traumatized or lost their lives because of terrorist attacks. This year, the 3rd commemoration of the day will focus on the response to the pandemic and cancellation of many memorials and commemorations, it is critical to take the time to remember and honour the victims of terrorism.

History of International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism: The day was designated by United Nations General Assembly in 2017 and the first time the day was observed in 2018. The General Assembly, in its resolution 72/165 (2017), established 21 August as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism in order to honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism and to promote and protect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI Life launches new-age term insurance policy “SBI Life eShield Next”: SBI Life Insurance announced the launch of a unique new age protection solution called ‘SBI Life eShield Next’, which ‘levels up’ the protection coverage as the insured achieves life’s major milestones. This means that the policy is neither linked to the stock market nor shares any profit or dividends with the policyholders. It is an individual, non-linked, non-participating, life insurance pure risk premium product and works by ‘levelling up’ the required insurance protection, through an increase in sum assured linked to the significant ‘level-up milestones in one’s life, like getting married, becoming a parent or buying a new house.

Note: SBI Life Insurance CEO: Mahesh Kumar Sharma; SBI Life Insurance Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Life Insurance Founded: March 2001.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Apple tops Hurun Global 500 Most Valuable Companies list 2021: Apple is the world’s most valuable company (USD 2,443 billion) according to the Hurun Global 500 Most Valuable Companies list 2021. The world’s top six valuable companies remained unchanged as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook and Tencent. Globally, the US-led with 243 companies, up by one; followed by China 47, down by four, Japan was third with 30 and the UK was fourth with 24. While India is ranked 9th with 12 companies. Reliance Industries (USD 188 billion) ranked at 57 is the top Indian company in the list. As many as 12 Indian companies found a place among the Hurun Global 500 for 2021 as Wipro Ltd, Asian Paints Ltd and HCL Technologies Ltd made it to the list of 500 most valuable firms in the world, while ITC Ltd dropped out.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Army organises 400 Km “JAZBAA-E- TIRANGA” Relay Marathon in J&K: In Jammu and Kashmir, the Army organised a 400 Km “JAZBAA-E- TIRANGA” Relay Marathon. The event was flagged off by Major General Rajeev Puri, General Officer Commanding, Ace of Spades Division, who led the relay, closely followed by other military personnel. More than 300 troops took part, carrying the Indian Tricolour all along the Line of Control (LoC). The run inculcated the spirit of brotherhood, as each soldier carried the symbolic National Flag of comradeship across the Area of Responsibility (AOR), handing it over to other units which stand shoulder to shoulder in war.

 

2. Indian Navy Conducts Bilateral Maritime Exercise with Vietnam: The Indian Navy and Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) undertook a bilateral maritime exercise in the South China Sea, to strengthen the defence ties among the two navies. From India, INS Ranvijay and INS Kora took part in the exercise and from the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN), frigate VPNS Ly Thai To(HQ-012) participated in the drill. The bilateral interaction aims to consolidate the strong bond shared by the two navies and would be another step towards strengthening India-Vietnam defence relations. Regular interactions between the two navies over the years have enhanced their interoperability and adaptability.

Significance: This has ensured a quantum jump in the complexity and scale of professional exchanges. This visit also holds special importance as Indian Naval ships celebrated the country’s 75th Independence Day in Vietnam. Defence ties between the two countries have been robust. In June this year, the two countries undertook a defence security dialogue and Indian Naval ships have been frequently visiting Vietnamese Ports. Training cooperation between the two navies has been on the rise over the years.

 

Daily GK Update- 20th Aug, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates world’s second-largest refurbished gene bank: The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated the world’s second-largest National Gene Bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa, New Delhi. The refurbished state-of-the-art National Gene Bank provides the facility for germplasm, to secure the heritage of seeds for years in minus 20 degrees Celsius temperature. The new facility will help in the conservation of the diversity of indigenous crops in the country, as well as benefit the farmers by making them self-reliant and providing a source of increasing their income. A National Gene Bank is a facility to preserve the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations.

 

2. Rajasthan govt to provide interest-free loan to street vendors: The Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan said it has introduced a scheme to provide interest-free loan up to ₹50,000 to street vendors, people in the age group of 18-40 years working in the service sector and unemployed of urban areas hit by Covid-19-induced financial crisis. The scheme is aimed at financially supporting and encouraging street vendors, youths providing services in informal sector such as hairdressers, rickshaw pullers, potters, carpenters, cobblers, masons, tailors, painters, plumbers, electricians etc. for self employment. Five lakh beneficiaries will be given loans under the scheme on the first come first serve basis. They will get interest free loan up to ₹50,000 without guarantee in one year, the government said. The state government further said the scheme will be applicable for one year and loans can be sanctioned till March 31, 2022. The loan moratorium period will be three months and loan repayment period will be 12 months.

 

3. Single-use Plastic Items Like Candy Sticks, Plates, Cups to Be Banned from July 1, 2022: Govt: The Centre has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, prohibiting manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic (SUP) items, including candy sticks, plates, cups and cutlery, from July 1, 2022. The thickness of plastic carry bags will be increased from 50 microns to 75 microns from September 30, 2021, and to 120 microns from December 31, 2022, according to the notification dated August 12. This will also allow the plastic carry bags to be reused.  Non-woven plastic carry bags should not be less than 60 gram per square metre (GSM) with effect from September 30, 2021, the notification said.

 

4. PM Modi announces national infrastructure plan worth Rs 100 lakh crore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 100 lakh crore Gati Shakti National infrastructure master plan aimed at bringing employment opportunities to the youth and helping develop new economic zones across the country. Modi also did not disclose the time span in which the Gati Shakti plan will be implemented nor the funding sources. However, he said the contours of the scheme will be announced in the coming days. This will also develop possibilities of new future economic zones, he said, adding that the focus will be on holistic development of infrastructure and transport.

 

5. Hockey star Vandana Katariya made U’khand Women & Child Development ambassador: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that Indian women’s hockey team player Vandana Katariya will be the brand ambassador of the state’s Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development. The announcement came at a program organized to felicitate the recipients of awardees of the Tilu Rauteli Award and the Anganwadi Workers Award. Earlier, Dhami had announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh to Indian women’s hockey team player Vandana Katariya for her brilliant performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

 

6. Sadbhavana Diwas: 20th August: Every year India observes Sadbhavana Diwas on August 20 to commemorate the birth anniversary of late erstwhile Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. This year on 20th August 2021, we are going to celebrate the 77th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Indian National Congress instituted Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award in 1992, a year after his death. Every year this day is celebrated in the memory of the late Rajiv Gandhi who was the youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40 years. In lieu of paying tribute to his vision for India, on this occasion contributions to society betterments are made.

 

7. Akshay Urja Diwas: 20 August: Akshay Urja Diwas (Renewable Energy Day) is observed every year on 20 August to raise awareness about the developments and adoption of renewable energy in India. The Akshay Urja Day was initiated by the Indian Ministry for New & Renewable Energy Sources in 2004. Energy such as Biogas, Solar Energy, Wind energy, hydroelectrical power is a few examples of Akshay Urja. The main motive of Akshya urja Diwas is to make people aware that they have to think about renewable energy (Akshya Urja) apart from traditional energy.

History of Indian Akshay Urja Day: Indian Akshay Urja Day was established in 2004 to support renewable energy development programs and promote its use instead of traditional sources of energy. The very first event relating to Akshay Urja Diwas was organized in New Delhi. In 2004, Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh has released a commemorative stamp, and 12,000 schoolchildren formed a human chain to promote renewable energy. The 20th of August wasn’t chosen at random to be the date of the observance. This day marks the birthday anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Ghaziabad is world’s second most polluted city of 2020: Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad was adjudged the second most polluted city out of the 50 ‘most polluted cities’ in the world in 2020 by a report prepared by British company HouseFresh. Ghaziabad reported an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 2.5 particulate matter (PM) in 106.6µg/m3. Preceding Ghaziabad, the Chinese city of Hotan in Xinjiang province has been named the most polluted city with a PM2.5 of 110.2µg/m3. The report attributed the air pollution in Hotan to sandstorms resulting from its closeness to the Taklimakan Desert, which is the largest shifting sand desert in the world.

Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan contribute to 49 out of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide. According to the report, Bangladesh was the most polluted country across the world in 2020, followed by Pakistan, India and Mongolia. Meanwhile, Judbury in Australia bagged the top position in the list of cities with the cleanest air with a PM2.5 level of 2.4µg/m3. Kailua Kona in America’s Hawaii and Muonio in Finland with PM2.5 concentrations of 2.6µg/m3 and 2.8µg/m3 respectively were the next top cities of 2020 with clean air.

 

2. World Mosquito Day: 20th August: World Mosquito Day is observed on 20 August annually to raise awareness about the causes of malaria and how it can be prevented. This day is observed to highlight the efforts of healthcare officials, NGOs, and others in fighting diseases caused by malaria. On World Mosquito Day every year, awareness is created around diseases caused by mosquitoes. This year amid the coronavirus pandemic, the theme of World Mosquito Day 2021 is “Reaching the zero-malaria target”. There are several different mosquitoes that act as vectors for different diseases. Aedes mosquitoes cause chikungunya, dengue fever, lymphatic filariasis, rift valley fever, yellow fever, and zika. Anopheles cause malaria, lymphatic filariasis (in Africa).

History of the day: The day also commemorates the discovery made by British doctor Sir Ronald Ross in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. In 1902, Ross won Nobel Prize for Medicine becoming the first British person to receive the award.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. World Athletics U20 Championships begins in Nairobi: The 2021 edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships has been started in Nairobi, Kenya. The impact of Covid on teams travelling and logistics of moving vital equipment around the world have proven to be a challenge, the governing body said in a release. The event was originally scheduled for 2020. The World U20 Championships were held from 17 to 22 August, 2021.

 

2. Odisha to sponsor Indian Hockey teams for 10 more years: The Odisha government will sponsor the Indian Hockey teams for 10 more years after the current sponsorship ends in 2023, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced. The state government started sponsoring the national hockey teams in 2018. The teams have scripted history with their brilliant performance at the Tokyo Olympics,” the chief minister said, handing over a cash award of Rs 10 lakh to each player. However, the exact amount of sponsorship deals are yet to be revealed. In 2018, Odisha had signed a Rs 100 crore deal with Hockey India for sponsoring the men’s and women’s teams for 5 years after Sahara India withdrew after getting entangled in legal issues.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI to introduce ‘Regulatory GAAR’ for round tripping: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come up with a draft rule with modifications in the existing regulation related to foreign investment to discourage round-tripping. The central bank is looking to tweak the existing regulations and has come up with draft rules around round-tripping. Some of the largest Indian companies, startups and multinationals with an India presence have put their outbound investment, fundraising and restructuring plans on hold as the RBI looks to introduce fresh regulations around “round-tripping.” According to the draft rule, any investment made outside India is an entity, in turn, invests in India will be treated as round-tripping if the purpose is to escape tax. This is as the same definition and rationale used by the tax department under General Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR) which companies have been complaining is quite broad in its scope.

 

2. RBI to put in place a “PRISM” to strengthen compliance by lenders: The Reserve Bank of India is putting in place a Platform for Regulated Entities for Integrated Supervision and Monitoring (PRISM), a web-based end-to-end workflow automation system, to strengthen compliance by supervised entities (SEs). This is aimed at helping supervised entities to strengthen their internal defences and resilience and bringing focus on root cause analysis (RCA).

PRISM: PRISM will have various functionalities (inspection; compliance; incident functionality for cybersecurity; complaints; and returns functionalities), with built-in remediation workflows, time tracking, notifications and alerts, management information system (MIS) reports and dashboards.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ind-Ra revises GDP growth projection to 9.4% in FY22: India Ratings (Ind-Ra) has projected the GDP growth rate for India for FY22 at 9.4%. Earlier Indi-Ra had projected the rate at between 9.1-9.6%. It would be 15.3 per cent in the first quarter, 8.3 per cent in the second quarter and 7.8 per cent in each of the remaining two quarters of the year. The agency’s estimate suggests that 5.2 million daily doses would have to be administered from now on to fully vaccinate more than 88 per cent of the adult population as well as to administer single doses to the rest by March in the current financial year.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. INS Tabar Participates in Exercise Konkan 2021: The Indian Naval Ship Tabar arrived at Portsmouth in England, to undertake the annual bilateral drill ‘Exercise Konkan 2021’ between the Indian Navy and Britain’s Royal Navy. The bilateral naval exercise Konkan is being held every year since 2004, to enhance the interoperability, synergy and cooperation between both navies. HMS Westminster of the Royal Navy took part from Britain’s side.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Tamil actor Anandha Kannan passes away: Tamil star and popular TV host Anandha Kannan passed away. He started his career with Vasantham TV in Singapore before moving to Chennai where he worked with Sun Music as a video jockey. He made a guest appearance in Venkat Prabhu’s Saroja (2008). Anandha Kannan later did a full-fledged role in the science fiction Tamil film Adisaya Ulagam (2012). 

Daily GK Update- 19th Aug, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Government announces ‘Prime Minister Gatishakti Scheme’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Rs 100 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme while addressing the nation on the 75th Independence Day from Red Fort. The Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme aims to adopt a holistic and integrated approach in infrastructure growth and create employment opportunities for the youth of the country. The government will soon announce the Master Plan for the scheme, to help boost the productivity of industries, and boost the economic growth of the country, besides creating job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youths.

About the scheme: Gati Shakti will be a national infrastructure master plan for our country that will lay the foundation of holistic infrastructure and will lead to an integrated and holistic pathway to our economy. The PM Gati Shakti scheme is aimed at breaking the silos between road, rail, air and waterways to reduce travel time, improving industrial productivity, making manufacturing globally competitive, facilitating future economic zones and creating employment.

 

2. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel announces 4 new districts: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced the creation of four new districts and 18 new tehsils in the state. The four new districts are: Mohla Manpur, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Shakti, Manendragarh. With the creation of four new districts, the total number of administrative districts in the state have reached 32. Apart from this, a garden will be developed exclusively for women in every district headquarter and the municipal corporation of the state, which will be known as the “Minimata Udyan”. The park has been named after ‘Minimata’, the first woman MP from Chhattisgarh elected in 1952, who devoted her life toward the empowerment of women and the betterment of society.

Note: CM of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel; Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.

 

3. AIIMS Delhi becomes first Indian hospital to house fire station inside premises: The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi has become the first hospital of India to house a fire station inside the hospital premises, to meet any emergency. For this, AIIMS has collaborated with Delhi Fire Service (DFS). The fire station, meant for quick response in case of fire emergency, will have its infrastructure developed by the AIIMS, while the fire tender, equipment, and manpower will be managed by the DFS. Having a total of 61 fire stations and 3,616 personnel, including 3,280 firefighters, the DFS attends to nearly 22,000 fire and rescue calls on an average in a year.

 

4. Kaziranga becomes India’s first national park with satellite phones: Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam has become the first national park in India to be equipped with satellite phones. Assam Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua handed over 10 satellite phones to the forest personnel of the Kaziranga National Park. The satellite phones will boost the anti-poaching measures in the park. BSNL will be the service provider of these phones.

Significance: The park which has been spread over a massive 430 sq km area and divided into six ranges in upper Assam, has certain areas with poor to no connectivity.  The satellite phones, given to the officials of Kaziranga Parks, which draw signals from the satellites instead of mobile towers will ensure connectivity in most of the remote locations. The move will also boost anti-poaching measures undertaken by the park.

Note: Assam Governor: Jagdish Mukhi; Assam Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma; Assam Capital: Dispur.

 

5. 4 more sites in India added to Ramsar list: Four more wetlands from India have been added to the list of Ramsar sites, giving it the status of ‘Wetland of International Importance’. With this, the total number of Ramsar sites in India have reached 46, covering a surface area of 1,083,322 hectares. The sites have been recognised as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Two of these sites are in Haryana, while the other two are in Gujarat.

These sites are: (1) Thol, Gujarat; (2) Wadhwana, Gujarat; (3) Sultanpur, Haryana; and (4) Bhindawas, Haryana

Ramsar Convention: The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. It came into force for India on February 1, 1982. Those wetlands which are of international importance are declared as Ramsar sites. Last year, Ramsar declared 10 more wetland sites from India as sites of international importance.

 

6. A book to explore life and works of Jayaprakash Narayan: A new biography of revolutionary leader and independence activist Jayaprakash Narayan will hit the stands on August 23, publisher Penguin Random House India. The book, “The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of Jayaprakash Narayan”, shares anecdotes and never-before-told stories from the life of the man who was known for his “emotional hunger for transformative politics, shunning power and incubating revolutionary ideas”. According to the publisher, the book, written by historian Bimal Prasad and author Sujata Prasad, explores “the ambiguities and ironies of a life lived at the barricades, and one man’s unremitting quest to usher in a society based on equality and freedom”.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin resigns: The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet resigned after losing a confidence vote in parliament. The 74-year-old Muhyiddin came to power in March 2020. He will however stay on as a caretaker prime minister until a successor is named. The resignations plunged Malaysia even deeper into political turmoil while it contends with one of the world’s worst surges of the virus. The nation of about 32 million people has averaged more than 20,000 cases per day in the last 14 days, and just 33 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. The total death toll from the pandemic in the country is at least 12,510.

Note: Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia Currency: Malaysian Ringgit.

 

2. World Photography Day: 19th August: World Photography Day is celebrated on 19 August every year to promote photography as a hobby and also inspire photographers around the globe to share a single photo with the rest of the world. The first official World Photo Day was observed on August 19, 2010.

History of the day: The origin of World Photo Day comes from the invention of the Daguerreotype, a photographic process developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1837. It was on August 19, 1939 that the French government purchased the patent of Daguerreotype process and announced the invention as a gift “free to the world”.

 

3. World Humanitarian Day: 19th August: World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed every year on 19 August to pay tribute to humanitarian personnel and those workers who lost or risked their lives while doing humanitarian service. In 2021 we are celebrating the 12th WHD. The theme for 2021 WHD is #TheHumanRace: a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with people who need it the most.

History of the day: 19 August marks the day on which the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad. World Humanitarian Day was commemorated for the first time on 19 August 2009, after it was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Messi signs for Paris St Germain after leaving Barcelona: Lionel Messi joined star-packed Paris St Germain after leaving Barcelona, the club where he had begun, after 21 years. Messi, a six-time winner of the Ballon d’Or for Europe’s best soccer player, signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year. Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain or PSG. Messi leaves Barcelona with 672 goals in 778 appearances, a record tally for one club. His trophy haul includes four Champions Leagues and 10 La Liga titles.

 

2. Raunak Sadhwani wins 2021 Spilimbergo Open Chess Tournament: A 15-year-old young Indian Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani has won the 19th Spilimbergo Open chess tournament in Italy. The fourth-seeded Sadhwani, who hails from Nagpur, remained undefeated in the tournament, with seven points from nine rounds, in which claimed five wins and four draws. In the ninth and final round, Sadhwani and Italian GM Pier Luigi Basso finished level on seven points, but the Indian was declared the winner on the basis of a better tie-break score.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI launches the Financial Inclusion Index: The Reserve Bank of India has introduced the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index), which is a measure of the extent of financial inclusion in India. FI-Index incorporates the inclusion details of banking, investments, insurance, postal and pension sector in India. This was among the announcements made in the first bimonthly monetary policy in April this year. Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index):

(1) The value of FI-Index will range between 0 to 100. Where 0 denotes complete financial exclusion while 100 denotes full financial inclusion.

(2) Parameters of FI-Index: The FI-Index comprises of three parameters, namely- Access (35%), Usage (45%), and Quality (20%) with each of these consisting of various dimensions, which are computed based on a number of indicators. In total there are 97 indicators.

(3) The annual FI-Index for the period ending March 2021 is 53.9 while for the period ending March 2017 it is 43.4. RBI will release the FI-Index in the month of July every year. There is no base year for this Index.

 

2. AU Small Finance Bank unveils new brand campaign, ‘BADLAAV Humse Hai’: AU Small Finance Bank has unveiled a mega Brand Campaign, aptly titled ‘BADLAAV Humse Hai’. This is the first integrated marketing communication campaign from AU Bank since its inception – a creative endeavor that will showcase the bank’s passion for innovation. As  a part of this campaign, AU will release a series of ad films on products and practices such as monthly interest, anywhere banking, Video banking, UPI QR and new age Credit Cards to bring alive the proposition of BADLAAV through tangible offerings.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IATA extend partnership with UNCTAD to facilitate global trade: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have extended their collaboration to facilitate international trade, particularly e-commerce. The extended partnership will enrich their history of working together. This includes the successful integration of air cargo messaging standards (Cargo-XML) into UNCTAD’s automated customs management system ASYCUDAWorld. For the 100 counties choosing to deploy the latest version of ASYCUDAWorld, this enables more efficient processing of air cargo shipments.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mohammad Azam honoured with National Youth Award: Mohammad Azam from Karimnagar district in Telangana has been awarded the National Youth Award recently by the Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur in Delhi for displaying exemplary leadership qualities. He has conducted several awareness programmes related to blood donation, organ donation and plantation programmes under the Haritha Haram project. The award carries an appreciation certificate and Rs 50,000 cash.

Apart from these, he has also worked on water conservation, construction of soaking pits, works related to the Swachh Bharat mission and government welfare schemes, for the benefit of the people in various villages. He received the ‘Indira Gandhi NSS Award’ from then President of India Pranab Mukherjee. He was also awarded the Pratibha Puraskar award by the State government in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and the Rashtriya Gaurav Samman Award.

 

2. Women Sub-Inspector Rita Debnath of Tripura Police awarded ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’: Women Sub-Inspector Rita Debnath of Tripura Police has been awarded the ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’ for the year 2021. The list of awardees were announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’ for the year 2021 has been awarded to 152 police personnel all over the country including 28 women police officers across the country are to receive the award. The medal recipients include 15 from CBI, 5 from NCB, 5 from NIA, 11 each from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra Police, 10 from Utter Pradesh, 9 from Kerala and Rajasthan Police, 8 from Tamil Nadu Police, 7 from Bihar, 6 each from Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi Police and the remaining from other States/UTs.