Daily GK Update- 19th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves Rs 26,058 crore PLI Scheme for Auto and Drone Industry: The Union Cabinet has approved a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for auto, auto-components and drone industries to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities. The PLI scheme will incentivise the emergence of advanced automotive technologies’ global supply chain in India. Incentives worth Rs. 26,058 crore will be provided to industry over five years, the minister told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. About the scheme:

(1) The PLI scheme for automobile and drone industries is part of the overall announcement of PLI schemes for 13 sectors made earlier during the Union Budget 2021-22, with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore.

(2) The scheme for the auto sector envisages overcoming the cost disabilities to the industry for the manufacture of advanced automotive technology products in India.

(3) From the total budget of Rs 26,058 crores, an amount of Rs 25,938 crores has been sanctioned for the automobile industry and Rs 120 crores for the drone industry.

 

2. Nitin Gadkari launches AI-powered road safety project ‘iRASTE’: Union Minister for Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari launched ‘iRASTE’, an Artificial Intelligence-powered project. The project aims to help reduce road accidents, understand the factors responsible for these events and come up with solutions to mitigate them. iRASTE stands for Intelligent Solutions for Road Safety through Technology and Engineering. About the project:

(1) The project has been launched on a pilot basis in Nagpur, Maharashtra with the aim of reducing accidents by 50 per cent in the city.

(2) The project is launched jointly by the Centre, Intel, INAI, IIIT-Hyderabad, CSIR-CRRI (Central Road Research Institute), Mahindra & Mahindra and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

(3) The main focus of the project will focus on vehicle safety, mobility analysis and road infrastructure safety to move towards a ‘Vision Zero’ accident scenario.

 

3. Nitin Gadkari Reviews Progress of India Longest Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari reviewed the progress of 1,380 kilometers long Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, being developed at a cost of Rs 98,000 crores. The eight-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be covering the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Once completed, the expressway will be the longest expressway in India and reduce the travel time between Delhi and Mumbai to about 12.5 hours. The project is planned to be completed by March 2023. The Delhi-Mumbai expressway is also the first in Asia and only the second in the world to feature animal overpasses, to facilitate unrestricted movement of wildlife.

 

4. Kushinagar Airport declared as Customs Notified Airport: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has declared Kushinagar Airport as a Customs notified airport. This would also facilitate international passenger movements including that of Buddhist pilgrims.

About the airport: The Kushinagar airport is an international airport spread across an area of 600 acres. It had been granted the licence to operate international flights by DGCA last February. In August, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the validity of the airport’s licence to operate international flights till February 21, 2023. The licence was due to expire on August 21, 2021.

Note: CBIC Chairperson: M. Ajit Kumar; CBIC Founded: 1 January 1964.

 

5.NITI Aayog Partners Byju’s to educate children in 112 aspirational districts: Government think tank NITI Aayog has entered into partnered with edtech major Byju’s, to provide free access to Byju’s high-quality and tech-driven learning programmes to children from 112 Aspirational districts of the country.  Under this collaboration, a dedicated working group will be established that will create a knowledge, innovation, and strategy support system, as well as actively monitor and evaluate programme implementation to enable efficacy and ensure better scope of delivery. The main objective of this partnership is to empower the children from underserved communities and locations with tech-enabled learning and access to quality education, and bring in positive systemic changes in the education ecosystem.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. US, UK and Australia announce new partnership “AUKUS”: United States, United Kingdom and Australia have announced the new partnership “AUKUS” a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region. The trilateral grouping was formally announced by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison and US President Joe Biden with a vision for a safer and more secure Indo-Pacific.

About the AUKUS:

(1) The first project of AUKUS will be to help Australia acquire a nuclear-powered conventionally-armed submarine fleet.

(2) The three heads of state reaffirmed their intention to continue to work with their allies and groupings in tandem with AUKUS, with the Quad being mentioned by Morrison and Biden.

(3) AUKUS will also involve a new architecture of meetings and engagements between the three countries, as well as cooperation across emerging technologies (applied AI, quantum technologies and undersea capabilities).

 

2. Ford becomes the latest US car manufacturer to exit India: Ford Motor Co. will stop making cars in India and record roughly $2 billion in restructuring charges, scaling back significantly in a country that past management saw becoming one of its three biggest markets. Ford will wind down an assembly plant in Gujarat by the fourth quarter, as well as vehicle and engine manufacturing plants in Chennai by the second quarter of next year.

Ford Motor Company has announced that it would stop producing cars in India as the global auto industry continues to grapple with a shortfall in semiconductors and other components due to supply chain disruptions. Other US companies that stopped operation in India are Ford’s American rival General Motors (GM) and the American motorcycle company Harley-Davidson.

Note: Ford Motor Co CEO: Jim Farley; Ford Motor Co Founder: Henry Ford; Ford Motor Co Founded: 16 June 1903; Ford Motor Co Headquarters: Michigan, United States.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI’s Amit Saxena joins RBI Innovation Hub as CTO: Global Deputy CTO of State Bank of India, Amit Saxena has joined RBI Innovation Hub as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The Reserve Bank announced that it would set up Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) to promote innovation across the financial sector by leveraging on technology and creating an environment that would facilitate and foster innovation. About the RBIH:

(1) The RBIH shall create an ecosystem that would focus on promoting access to financial services and products. This will also promote financial inclusion.

(2) The Hub will collaborate with financial sector institutions, the technology industry, and academic institutions and coordinate efforts for the exchange of ideas and development of prototypes related to financial innovations.

(3) It would develop internal infrastructure to promote fintech research and facilitate engagement with innovators and start-ups.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. UNCTAD projects Indian economy to expand 7.2% in 2021: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has pegged India’s economic growth rate to hit a four-year high of 7.2 per cent for 2021 against a contraction of 7 per cent in 2020. At this rate, India would be the fastest-growing economy after China, which is projected to grow by 8.3 per cent. Calculations are based on GDP at constant dollars in 2015.

 

2. Power Finance Corporation issues India’s first-ever Euro Green Bond: The leading power sector NBFC, Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), successfully issued its maiden Euro Green Bond. The 7-year Euro 300 million Bond has been priced at 1.841 per cent. This Euro Green Bond is the first-ever Euro denominated Green bond issuance from India. It is also the first-ever Euro issuance by an Indian NBFC. With the issuance, PFC has also forayed into the European market for its international fundraising. PFC is witnessing a marked shift in its lending portfolio owing to stress in thermal power generation, with no new private investment in the sector. It is expected that renewable energy and transmission & distribution (T&D) would attract the bulk of the lending by PFC going forward, along with newer sectors such as lift irrigation, electric mobility and energy efficiency.

Note: Power Finance Corporation Ltd Headquarters: New Delhi; Power Finance Corporation Ltd Founded: 16 July 1986; Power Finance Corporation Ltd chairman and managing director: R S Dhillon.

 

3. Infosys launches digital commerce platform Equinox: Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, launched Infosys Equinox to help enterprises securely deliver hyper-segmented, personalized omnichannel commerce experiences for B2B and B2C buyers. The platform’s future-ready architecture offers unprecedented flexibility for enterprises to pick and choose out-of-the-box microservices and pre-built experiences to build curated digital journeys that enhance their digital commerce or launch it grounds-up in a matter of weeks.

About the Infosys Equinox: Infosys Equinox helps businesses transform their digital commerce across marketing, merchandizing, e-commerce, store operations, supply chain and customer service through its four offerings: Infosys Equinox Microservices, Infosys Equinox Commerce, Infosys Equinox Experiences, and Infosys Equinox Marketing. Infosys Equinox also brings together best-of-breed service, product, platform and industry capabilities from Infosys, and its partners, in an integrated ecosystem.

Note: Infosys Founded: 7 July 1981; Infosys CEO: Salil Parekh; Infosys Headquarters: Bengaluru.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Eminent Kashmiri Writer Aziz Hajini passes away: Noted writer and former secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Aziz Hajini passed away. Hajini, born as Abdul Aziz Parray in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, was appointed Secretary J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages in 2015. He has over twenty books in Kashmiri to his credit including poetry and criticism. Hajini won the Sahitya Akademi Award (criticism) in 2016 for his book ‘Aane Khane’ written in Kashmiri. He has also won the Sahitya Akademi Translation Award in 2013 for Za Gaz Zameen, Kashmiri translation of Abdul Samad’s Urdu novel Do Gaz Zameen.

 

Daily GK Update- 18th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s 61st Software Technology park centre opened in Nagaland : Nagaland’s first and India’s 61st Software Technology Park of India (STPI) centre was inaugurated at Kohima. The inauguration of the STPI centre in Kohima is a fulfilment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of creating a technology ecosystem in the northeast to create opportunities for future generations in the region. The MoS urged the need to create real change in the technology ecosystem. In order to create job opportunities, he said, the state government must work towards creating an interconnection of institutions to create awareness about various opportunities available for the youth.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: R. N. Ravi

 

2. Alka Nangia Arora appoints as CMD of NSIC : Alka Nangia Arora has been appointed as the Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd. (NSIC). She has taken the additional charge of the post on September 14, 2021.She is a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) is a Mini Ratna company established in 1955. It falls under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises of India and serves as a nodal agency for several schemes of the Ministry of MSME.

 

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

1. PM Narendra Modi virtually addresses 21st SCO Meeting : The 21st Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State was held in hybrid format on September 17, 2021, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. This was the first SCO Summit held in a hybrid format and the fourth Summit in which India participated as a full-fledged member of SCO. The Indian delegation was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who participated in the meeting via video-link and at Dushanbe, India was represented by External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar.

 

2. Jhumpa Lahiri to launch her new book ‘Translating Myself and Others’ : The Pulitzer Prize-winning noted fiction writer, Jhumpa Lahiri, is set to launch her new book titled ‘Translating Myself and Others’, which will highlight her work as a translator. The new book is planned to be out in Spring 2022. It will be a collection of essays that reflect Lahiri’s experiences on the meaning of translation, translating her own writing, and writing across languages. The book will be published by Princeton University Press.

 

3. International Coastal Clean-Up Day 2021: 18 September : The International Coastal Cleanup Day is traditionally held on the third Saturday in September. In 2021, the day is being held on 18 September. The theme of International Coastal Clean-Up Day 2021: “Keep trash in the bin and not in the ocean”. Coastal Cleanup Day was established by the Ocean Conservancy, an organization that works to help protect the ocean from the challenges it faces every year. The first International Coastal Cleanup Day was observed in 1986. The day aims to increase public awareness about the accumulation and negative impacts of litter in oceans, on coastlines and on beaches.

 

4. World Water Monitoring Day: 18 September : The World Water Monitoring Day is observed every year on September 18 since 2003 to increase public awareness and involvement in water monitoring and protecting water resources around the world.This day is celebrated to increase public awareness and involvement in water monitoring and protecting water resources around the world. World Water Monitoring Day engages people of all ages in monitoring the condition of local rivers, streams, estuaries and other water bodies. The theme of World Water Day 2021 is valuing water.

5. International Equal Pay Day: 18 September : International Equal Pay Day is celebrated on 18 September. The inaugural edition of the day was observed in the year 2020. The day aims to achieve equal pay for work of equal value and break the walls against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to observe September 18 as International Equal Pay Day, on November 15, 2019, which was introduced by the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC).

6. International Red Panda Day 2021 : The International Red Panda Day (IRPD) is celebrated on the third Saturday of September every year to raise public awareness and support for red panda conservation issues.In 2021, the IRPD is being observed on 18 September 2021. The day was launched by the Red Panda Network in 2010. The first international red Panda day was celebrated on 18th September 2010. There are two distinct species of red pandas Ailurus fulgens is commonly known as Himalayan Red Panda and Ailurus fulgens styani commonly known as Chinese Red Panda, these are mostly found in the Eastern Himalayan region and southwestern China.Note: Red Panda Network Founder: Brian Williams. Red Panda Network Headquarters: Eugene, Oregon.

 

7. World Bamboo Day: 18 September : World Bamboo Day is observed every year on 18 September to raise awareness of the benefits of bamboo and to promote its use in everyday products.Bamboos are used for various purposes mainly in East and Southeast Asia. Bamboo is a tall, tree-like grass of the family Poaceae. It comprises more than 115 genera and 1,400 species.The theme for the 12th edition of WBD 2021 is ‘#PlantBamboo: It Is Time To Plant Bamboo’. WBD was officially declared by the World Bamboo Organization on September 18 at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.

Note: World Bamboo Organization Headquarters: Antwerp, Belgium.World Bamboo Organization Founded: 2005.World Bamboo Organization Executive director: Susanne Lucas.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

1. Indo-Nepal joint military exercise Surya Kiran-XV to begin at Pithoragarh : The 15th edition of Indo–Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise Surya Kiran will be held from September 20, 2021, at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. The previous edition of the Exercise Surya Kiran was conducted in Nepal in 2019. The exercise was called off in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indian Army and Nepali Army would share their experiences of various counter-insurgency operations, and familiarise themselves with each other’s weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques and procedures of operating in a counter-insurgency environment in mountainous terrain. The joint military training will help in improving bilateral relations and further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two nations.

 

Daily GK Update- 17th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha launches ‘One Gram Panchayat-One DIGI-Pay Sakhi’ : In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has launched a new mission called ‘One Gram Panchayat-One DIGI-Pay Sakhi’. The mission was launched at Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Pampore. He outlined that DIGI-Pay Sakhi has introduced financial inclusion within the UT’s Self Help Group (SHG) ecosystem, creating much needed financial access points with greater transparency even in the remotest of the areas.

 

2. NITI Aayog Launches Report on ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’ : NITI Aayog has launched a report titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’ which presents measures to ramp up urban planning capacity in India. The report was released on September 16, 2021, jointly by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, CEO Shri Amitabh Kant and Special Secretary Dr K. Rajeswara Rao. The report has made several recommendations that can unblock bottlenecks in the value chain of urban planning capacity in India. Some of them include programmatic Intervention for the Planning of Health, Re-engineering of Urban Governance, Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts.

 

3. PM Modi features in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People 2021 List : PM Narendra Modi has been named in 2021 Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people list, for the fifth time since coming in power in 2014. List has 6 categories: Icons, Pioneers, Artists, Leaders, Titans, and Innovators. It also includes Mamata Banerjee and Adar Poonawalla. Globally, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan, and co-founder of Taliban Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar were also in the list

 

4. Former SC judge Indu Malhotra appointed DDCA Ombudsman : Former Supreme Court judge, Justice (Retired) Indu Malhotra will be the new Ombudsman cum Ethics Officer of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) for a period of one year was made. The DDCA’s general body, headed by its president Rohan Jaitley, decided on 65-year-old Justice (Retd) Malhotra’s appointment. In 2007, Malhotra was designated senior advocate by the Supreme Court and she became only the second woman to be designated by the apex court after a gap of three decades.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

1. Ayaan Shankta named as “2021 International Young Eco-Hero” : A 12-year-old environmental activist from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Ayaan Shankta has been named as “2021 International Young Eco-Hero”. He won the 3rd prize under the Age Group: 8-14 for his project “Conservation and Rehabilitation of Powai Lake” and became one of the 25 global winners of the Young Eco-Hero Award 2021. The award presented by “The Action for Nature”, San Francisco based NGO, recognize young people (8 to 16 years old) for their environmental achievements.

 

2. World Patient Safety Day: 17 September : World Patient Safety Day is observed on September 17 to create a global awareness for patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to making healthcare safer. The Day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, health care leaders and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety. The theme for 2021 WPSD is ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’. World Patient Safety Day – established by the World Health Assembly in 2019 through resolution WHA72.6 on “Global action on patient safety” is observed annually on 17 September. It was adopted at the 72nd World Health Assembly on 25 May 2019.

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Cabinet approves 100% FDI under automatic route in Telecom Sector : The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a number of structural and process reforms in the Telecom sector, to provide relief to ailing telecom service providers, struggling with high levels of debt. A total of 9 structural and 5 process reforms have been approved by the Union Cabinet. Some major reforms announced are as follows: Change in the definition of AGR: The definition of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) has been changed and now all non-telecom revenue will be removed from AGR.

Note: Minister of Communications: Ashwini Vaishnaw.

 

 

 

 

DEFENCE

1. Defence Ministry constitutes High Level Expert Committee to review NCC : The Ministry of Defence has constituted a High-Level Expert Committee, for a comprehensive review of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Former Member of Parliament (MP) Baijayant Panda will be the Chairperson of the Committee. The 15-member committee will also include Cricketer MS Dhoni and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra as members. Suggest measures to empower NCC cadets to contribute more effectively towards nation building Propose ways for gainful engagement of NCC Alumni for the betterment of the organization

Note: NCC Founded: 16 April 1948;NCC Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

OBITUARIES

1. Former India player and Mohun Bagan great Bhabani Roy passes away : Former India footballer and Mohun Bagan captain, Bhabani Roy passed away. He was joined Bagan in 1966 and played for the club till 1972. He represented India in the 1969 Merdeka Cup and played in three matches. Bhabani Roy helped Mohun Bagan win the Rovers Cup in 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1972 (Joint Winner). At the domestic level, he was part of the West Bengal team that won the Santosh Trophy in 1968 and 1971.

 

2. 2 times Olympic Gold Medalist Yuriy Sedykh passes away : Double Olympic hammer throw gold medallist Yuriy Sedykh, a Ukrainian track and field athlete who represented the Soviet Union until 1991, has passed away. He set the world record for the hammer throw with a throw of 86.74 metres at the European Championships in Stuttgart in 1986 which is still not broken. He won his first gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and his second gold at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Daily GK Update- 16th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to organize first-ever Global Buddhist Conference in November 2021 : India is set to host first-ever Global Buddhist Conference in Nava Nalanda Mahavihara campus, in Nalanda, Bihar on November 19 and 20, 2021. It is being organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). It focuses on making India the center of Buddhism, by promoting Buddhist activities.Theme: Buddhism in Literature. Conference will be conducted at Dharamsala, Gangtok, Sarnath, and Telangana in India and overseas in Cambodia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.

 

2. NITI Aayog, RMI, and RMI India launches ‘Shoonya’ Campaign : NITI Aayog, with RMI and RMI India has launched ‘Shoonya Campaign’ to promote zero-pollution delivery vehicles by working with consumers and industry.Aim: To accelerate adoption of electric vehicles in urban deliveries segment and create consumer awareness about zero-pollution delivery. As part of campaign, corporate branding and certification programme is being launched to recognize and promote industry’s efforts towards transitioning to EVs for final-mile deliveries

 

3. IIT Bombay rolls out language translator ‘Project Udaan’ : IIT Bombay has launched ‘Project Udaan’ to break the language barrier in education, which hampers the flow of messages. It is a donation-based project, which can translate scientific and technical content from English to Hindi and all other Indian languages. The project uses an AI-based translation software ecosystem, to translate engineering textbooks and learning materials, and all main streams of higher learning, in the desired language

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

1. South Korea has successfully tested indigenously developed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). South Korea is the first country without nuclear weapons to develop SLCM missile system.With this, South Korea joins only a handful of countries to have successfully developed SLBM. Other countries that have tested or developed SLBMs: United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, North Korea, and India, which have typically designed them to carry nuclear weapons.

 

2. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: 16 September : International Day for the Preservation for Ozone layer (World Ozone Day) is observed every year on September 16 to spread awareness about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and search for solutions to preserve it. Theme for 2021 World Ozone Day: Montreal Protocol – keeping us, our food and vaccines cool UN General Assembly proclaimed this day in 1994 commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS:

1. Sri Lanka great Lasith Malinga retires from all forms of cricket  : Malinga, in January of 2021 had announced his retirement from franchise cricket, shortly after Mumbai Indians had released the veteran pacer - the leading wicket-taker in the IPL from their squad. Having already retired from Test cricket in 2011 and ODIs in 2019, Malinga continued to play T20 cricket, but the fast bowler decided to bring curtains down entirely on his international career and will go down as one the best fast bowlers of all time. Malinga finishes with 546 international wickets. With 107 wickets in T20Is, Malinga is the leading wicket-taker in the format, just one more than Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan. Malinga bows out with a splendid career for Sri Lanka. His biggest achievement came in 2014 when he led his country to T20 World Cup win in Bangladesh. He is the only bowler to claim five hat-tricks in limited-overs cricket - three in ODIs and two in T20Is.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Tata Steel commissions India’s first plant to capture CO2 : Tata Steel has commissioned India’s first carbon capture plant that extracts CO2 directly from the blast furnace gas, at its Jamshedpur Centre. With this, Tata Steel has become country’s first steel company to adopt such a carbon capture technology. It can capture 5 tonnes of CO2 per day (5-tonne per day (TPD)). The company will reuse the captured CO2 on site to promote circular carbon economy. CEO & MD of Tata Steel: T. V. Narendran.

 

2. Govt approves PLI scheme for Auto Industry and Drone Industry : Govt has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Auto Industry and Drone Industry to enhance manufacturing capabilities It will incentivize emergence of Advanced Automotive Technologies global supply chain in India It will help create additional employment for 7.6 lakh people The scheme will also provide incentives worth 26,058 crore for over 5 years PLI Scheme for auto sector will bring fresh investments of over 42,500 crore in 5 years

 

3. SpaceX launches first all-tourist crew into orbit: The crew of the Inspiration4, the first-ever orbital flight crewed entirely by tourists, is now officially in orbit, according to a Livestream from SpaceX. The SpaceX rocket blasted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The passengers will now spend three days aboard their 13-foot-wide Crew Dragon capsule in orbit at a 350-mile altitude. The crew includes 38-year-old billionaire Jared Isaacman, who personally financed the trip; Hayley Arceneux, 29, a childhood cancer survivor and current St. Jude physician assistant; Sian Proctor, 51, a geologist and community college teacher with a PhD; and Chris Sembroski, a 42-year-old Lockheed Martin employee and lifelong space fan who claimed his seat through an online raffle.

 

DEFENCE

1. Indian Military Contingent participates in SCO Exercise ‘Peaceful Mission’ : Indian military contingent comprising of an all arms combined force of 200 personnel is participating in Exercise titled as ‘Peaceful Mission 2021’. It is a Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise between Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. It is being hosted by Russia in Orenburg Region of South West Russia from September 13 to 25, 2021. 2021 is the 6th edition of biennial multilateral Exercise Headquarters of SCO: Beijing, China.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Ramnath Kovind presents National Florence Nightingale Awards 2020 : President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has conferred National Florence Nightingale Awards 2020 at a virtual ceremony to 51 health care workers and nurses for their selfless dedication and compassion, especially during COVID-19. The Award was instituted by Indian Government in 1973 and are named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. WHO declared 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Mid-wife 2020 also marked 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale

 

2. National Mineral Development wins Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar : National Mineral Development under Ministry of Steel has won highest and most prestigious award, Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar during Rajbhasha Diwas Samaroh in New Delhi. Award was received by Shiva Shanmuganathan, Executive Director (Corporate Affairs) on behalf of NMDC. NMDC has been winning this award for the last 3 years in a row, which goes on to show its dedication towards the implementation of Hindi as the Official Language.

 

Daily GK Update- 15th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Gurmit Singh sworn-in as the new Governor of Uttarakhand : Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh was sworn as the new Governor of Uttarakhand with effect from 15th September 2021. His oath of office was administered by Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court Justice RS Chauhan at Raj Bhawan He is a retired Deputy Chief of the Indian Army and is a highly decorated former Army officer He succeeds Baby Rani Maurya, who resigned three years before completing her tenure. Chief minister of Uttarakhand: Pushkar Singh Dhami.

 

2. National Engineer’s Day -15th September : National Engineer’s Day is observed every year on September 15 to recognise the contribution of engineers in the development of our nation. The day marks the birth anniversary of India’s engineering pioneer, Sir Mokshagundam Vishweshvaraya, who was regarded as the Father of Modern Mysore Theme 2021: Engineering for A Healthy Planet- Celebrating the UNESCO Engineering Report. The day was celebrated for the first time in 1968.

 

3. PM Modi lays foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University : PM Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University at Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. It is being established in the memory and honor of noted figure, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, who was a great freedom fighter, educationist and social reformer It will be spread over an area of over 92 acres at Lodha village and Musepur Kareem Jarouli village of Kol tehsil in Aligarh. It will provide affiliation to 395 colleges of the Aligarh division.

 

4. Sansad TV to be launched : VP M. Venkaiah Naidu, PM Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will jointly launch Sansad TV at Main Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe today Sansad TV is being formed after merging Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV Sansad TV programming will primarily be in 4 categories: functioning of Parliament and democratic institutions, governance- implementation of schemes/policies, history and culture of India and issues/interests/concerns of contemporary nature.

 

5. Subramanian Swamy comes out with book on Human Rights and Terrorism : BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has launched his new book titled as ‘Human Rights and Terrorism in India’.The book has shed light on how the combating of terrorism can be harmonized with human and fundamental rights within reasonable restrictions that are permitted by the Constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court It is the thesis of this study that to deter terror, India as a nation must foster a concept of identity

 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. International Day of Democracy: 15th September : International Day of Democracy is observed every year on 15th September across the world to provide an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Theme for 2021: Strengthening democratic resilience in the face of future crises The day was established in 2007 through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly for promoting and upholding the principles of democracy and review the state of democracy in the world. It was first observed in 2008.

 

2. PM Modi to attend Quad Summit at White House on 24th September : PM Narendra Modi will attend first-ever in-person QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) Leaders’ Summit at White House in Washington D.C. on September 24, 2021. Quad nation: India, Japan, US and Australia. Aim: To deepen ties and increase cooperation in areas such as combatting COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace. PM Modi will also address UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 25, 2021.

 

3. World Lymphoma Awareness Day 15 September : World Lymphoma Awareness Day (WLAD) is observed every year on 15th September to raise awareness of lymphoma, an increasingly common form of cancer. WLAD was initiated in 2004 by Lymphoma Coalition (LC), a non-profit network organization of 83 lymphoma patient groups from 52 countries across the world. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system that includes the lymph nodes (lymph glands), spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow.

 

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS:

1. Joe Root, Eimear Richardson named ICC Players of the Month for August 2021 : England Test skipper Joe Root has been named as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2021. He scored 507 runs in three Tests against India in August. He also scored 3 important centuries, including an unbeaten 180* at Lord’s, and MRF Tyres ICC Test Rankings for batters. Ireland’s Eimear Richardson has bagged the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for August 2021.

 

2. Brendan Taylor of Zimbabwe Announces Retirement from International Cricket : Former Zimbabwe skipper and wicket-keeper batsman Brendan Taylor (34 years) has announced his retirement from international cricket. He made this announcement while playing third final ODI match against Ireland. He made his ODI debut for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in 2004. He has scored 6677 runs from 204 ODI matches and is just 112 short of former Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower's national record of 6786.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. India, Singapore announces linking of UPI and PayNow fast payment systems : RBI and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have announced project to link their respective fast payment systems viz. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and PayNow. It will enable users of each of the two fast payment systems to make fund transfer from India to Singapore and vice versa using UPI and PayNow. It will made operational by July 2022. It will foster cross-border interoperability of payments using cards and QR codes, between India and Singapore.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Susanna Clarke wins Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021 : English author Susanna Clarke has won 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction for her second novel ‘Piranesi’. Women’s Prize for Fiction: It is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious literary prizes. It is awarded annually to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English, since 1996. Piranesi is a mystery about a man living alone in a labyrinthine house.

Daily GK Update- 14th Sept, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Justice M. Venugopal appointed as Acting Chairperson of NCLAT : Justice M. Venugopal has been appointed as the new Acting Chairperson of National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with effect from September 11, 2021 He is a former judge of High Court of Madras and was appointed as Judicial Member of NCLAT on October 23, 2019 This is the third time in a row that an Acting Chairperson is at the helm of the NCLAT, after the retirement of S, J .Mukhopadhaya  NCLAT is a tribunal established under Section 410 of Companies Act, 2013.

 

2. National Hindi Day: 14 September : Hindi Divas or Hindi Day is observed every year on 14 September to celebrate the popularity of Hindi as an official language of India.

14 September is celebrated as Hindi Diwas as it was on this day in 1949, when Constituent Assembly of India had adopted Hindi written in Devanagari script as the official language of India Hindi was adopted under Article 343 of Indian Constitution

Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar and Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar awards are being given on this day

 

3. Nuakhai harvest festival celebrated in Odisha : Agrarian festival of Western Odisha, named as Nuakhai Juhar has been celebrated with religious fervour and tradition .

It is celebrated the day after the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. Nuakhai: Nua means new and khai means food. This means nuakhai is a festival to celebrate newly harvested food by the farmer It is a crop festival celebrated by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh, to welcome the new rice of the season.

 

4.         Haryana adjudged first in installation of solar pumps under PM-KUSUM : Haryana has been ranked as the first state of India in installation of off-grid solar pumps under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahaabhiyaan (PMKUSUM), as per Ministry of New and Renewable Energy data The state has installed 14,418 pumps against 15,000 sanctioned pumps for the year 2020-21 with total cost of Rs 520 crore

PM-KUSUM scheme: It is a centrally-sponsored scheme, that was launched in 2019 with target to install 20 lakh standalone solar pumps

 

5. Chhattisgarh launches ‘Millet Mission’ to become Millet Hub Of India : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced to launch ‘Millet Mission’ to provide proper price rate to farmers for minor cereal crops Other important benefits under Millet Mission to includes input assistance for millet, procurement arrangements, aid farmers in processing of crops, etc.

To implement the mission, the state government has signed a MoU with Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad and collectors of 14 districts of the state.

 

6.  TN Assembly passed a bill to dispense NEET exam : Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a Bill to dispense with National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) and allow admission to medical courses based on Class 12 marks, ensuring social justice The bill has been introduced by Chief Minister M K Stalin based on the recommendation of the high-level committee led by retired judge AK Rajan, which submitted its report in July Permanent Exemption Bill for NEET exempts medical aspirants in Tamil Nadu from taking NEET examination

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. North Korea tested new long-range cruise missile capable of hitting Japan :  North Korea has tested new long-range cruise missile, which is capable of hitting Japan During the test, the missile travelled up to 1,500 kms, suggesting that North Korea is still capable of developing weapons despite food shortages and economic crisis. It is first long-range cruise missile of Korea that could possibly carry a nuclear warhead Head of North Korea: Kim Jong-un Capital of North Korea: Pyongyang

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS:

1. Daniil Medvedev wins 2021 US Open Tennis Title : Russia professional Tennis player Daniil Medvedev (25 years) has won 2021 US Open men’s singles Tennis Title, after beating Novak Djokovic (Serbia) by 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. This is the maiden Grand Slam title won by Medvedev. Women’s single winner: Emma Raducanu (Great Britain) defeated Leylah Fernandez (Canada) Men’s double winner: Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury Women’s double winner: Samantha Stosur and Zhang Shuai Mixed Doubles: Desirae Krawczyk and Joe Salisbury

 

DEFENCE

1. India–Africa Defence Dialogue to be held in 2022: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will host Defence Ministers of African Nations in the next India–Africa Defence Dialogue on the sidelines of DefExpo at Gandhinagar, Gujarat in March 2022. First-ever India Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on February 6, 2020

Foundation of India–Africa defence relations are based on 2 guiding principles namely ‘SAGAR’, Security and Growth for All in the Region’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’

 

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Skyroot Aerospace becomes first Space startup to formally tie-up with ISRO : Hyderabad-based Space technology startup, Skyroot Aerospace has become the first private company to formally enter into an agreement with ISRO to get access of their facilities and expertise for the development and testing of subsystems and systems of space launch vehicles. Skyroot Aerospace is building Vikram series of rockets to carry small satellites into space. First launch vehicle in the series, Vikram-1 is scheduled to be launch in 2022.

 

2. Paytm Payments Bank launches first FASTag-based Metro parking facility :  Paytm Payments Bank has launched India’s first FASTag-based Metro parking facility, in partnership with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Paytm will facilitate the processing of all FASTag-based transactions for cars having valid FASTag sticker, eliminating the hassle of stopping and paying cash at the counter It has enabled UPI-based payment for two-wheelers entering parking site through which car owners will no longer be required to tender cash and parking fee

       

Daily GK Update- 13th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bhupendra Patel sworn-in as the new CM of Gujarat : Bhupendra Patel has been sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Gujarat.He is the first-time sitting MLA who has been named for the post of Chief Minister.He is a BJP MLA from Ghatlodiya assembly constituency.The move was taken after the resignation of Vijay Rupani from the post of CM.He has served as the President of Memnagar Municipality in Ahmedabad and standing committee chairman of AMCGovernor of Gujarat: Acharya Devvrat Capital of Gujarat: Gandhinagar

 

2. Uttarakhand gets India’s largest open-air fernery : India’s largest open-air fernery has been inaugurated in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand. It will serve the dual objective of conservation of fern species as well as creating awareness about their ecological role, promoting further research. It has around 120 different types of ferns, covering an area of over 4 acres of land at an altitude of 1,800m. Fernery has been developed under Govt’s Compensatory Afforestation Management Funds Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme

 

3. Centre set-up seven new Ekalavya Vidyalayas in Assam : Centre has decided to set up seven new Ekalavya Vidyalayas in Assam Tribal Affairs Ministry will also set up 400 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras to promote tribal art and craft as well as to provide livelihood opportunities to the tribal population. Apart from this, Tribal Food Parks will also be set-up in Assam Tribal Affairs Ministry has awarded Van Dhan National Award 2021-22 to TRISSAM of Assam in the category of Collaborative Initiative for co branding in Van Dhan Yojana

 

 

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India and Denmark jointly launch Centre of Excellence on Offshore Wind : Union Minister, R.K Singh and his Danish counterpart, Dan Jørgensen have jointly launched Centre of Excellence on Offshore Wind as part of Green Strategic Partnership

Ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has set a target of adding 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy projects by 2030 This centre will at the outset be centred on 4 working groups: spatial planning; financial framework conditions; supply chain infrastructure; and standards and testing.

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS:

1. Daniel Ricciardo wins F1 Italian Grand Prix 2021 : McLaren-Mercedes’s racer Daniel Ricciardo (Australian-Italian) has won Formula One Italian Grand Prix 2021 title held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza This is the first victory for McLaren in 9 years. Lando Norris (McLaren-Mercedes) came second, followed by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen crash out of Italian Grand Prix 2021 due to collision. It was the 14th round of 2021 F1 World Championship and second Grand Prix in Italy of the season.

 

DEFENCE

1. India’s first long-range nuclear missile ship INS Dhruv commissioned :        India’s first nuclear-missile tracking ship, named as INS Dhruv has been commissioned from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is a 10,000 tonnes satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship, which has been built by  Hindustan Shipyard Limited in collaboration with DRDO and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). INS Dhruv is capable of tracking nuclear missiles at a long-range that will provide early warning of attacks by ballistic missiles from Pakistan, China

 

2. LCA-Mk2 to roll out next year, first flight in 2023 : Roll-out of the aircraft (Mk2) is planned next year and the first flight in scheduled in early 2023. Configuration for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk2 has been frozen and steel cutting is expected to begin soon. It features enhanced range and endurance including an onboard oxygen generation system, which is being integrated for the first time. Mk2 is 1,350 mm longer featuring canards and can carry a payload of 6,500 kg compared to 3,500 kg the LCA can carry.

 

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1 LG Manoj Sinha distributed ‘Kashmir Young Leadership Award’ : Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha has felicitated Young achievers with ‘Kashmir Young Leadership Award’ during Kashmir Leadership Summit in Srinagar The award is given for the outstanding work in different fields and lauded their contribution for bringing positive changes in society. A total of 46 Young achievers from various fields including health, education, sports, social work, journalism, Art, Music, conservation, etc have been awarded on the occasion.

 

OBITUARIES

1. Noted feminist and educator, Sonal Shukla passes away : Noted feminist and educator, Sonal Shukla (80 years) passes away due to cardiac arrest at a hospital in Mumbai. She is a chief founder trustee of Vacha Charitable Trust and had been working with adolescent girls and women from the 1980s.She is popularly known as ‘Sonal Ben’. She had been actively involved in feminist movements for many decades and was also the co-founder of the group Forum Against Rape, which is now known as the Forum Against Oppression of Women