Daily GK Update- 20th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ministry of Law and Justice launches “Ek Pahal” campaign: Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice has launched the “Ek Pahal”  campaign to encourage mass registration under Tele-Law. The Ek Pahal campaign will run across the country from 17th September till 2nd October. The “Ek Pahal” campaign will cover 51,434 Common Service Centres in 50,000 Gram Panchayats in 633 districts across 34 States and UTs.

About the campaign: Tele-Law means the use of communications and information technology for the delivery of legal information and advice. Department of Justice has partnered with NALSA and CSC e-Governance Service India Limited for mainstreaming legal aid to the marginalized communities through Common Services Center (CSC). This e-interaction between lawyers and people would be through the video-conferencing infrastructure available at the CSCs.

Note: Union Minister of Law and Justice: Kiren Rijiju.

 

2. ‘Katley’ declared as state fish of Sikkim: The Government of Sikkim has declared ‘Cooper Mahseer’ locally named as ‘Katley’ as the state fish. Neolissochilus hexagonolepis is the scientific name of the Cooper Mahseer. The decision has been taken to highlight the importance of the Katley fish and to give emphasis to its conservation measures. The fish has high market value and is highly preferred by the public in the State.

The Sikkim government has also declared the reservoirs of the State to be open for fishing activities. License shall be issued by the Directorate of Fisheries to the interested individual fishermen or fishermen co-operative societies or SHGs for fishing in the reservoirs in accordance with the existing provisions under the Sikkim Fisheries Rules, 1990. The reservoirs are in Chungthang in North Sikkim, Legshep in West Sikkim along with Dikchu and Rorathang in East Sikkim.

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

 

3. Manipur’s Sirarakhong Chilli and Tamenglong Orange gets GI tag: Two famous products of Manipur, Hathei chilli, which is found in Manipur’s Ukrul district and is known for its unique flavour, and Tamenglong mandarin orange have been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This is a historic milestone in the history of Manipur and it will increase the income of farmers in Manipur.

About the Hathei chilly: The Hathei chilly works as a good anti-oxidant and possesses high calcium and Vitamin C levels. It has an extremely high American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) colour value of 164. The extractable colour of chilli is usually expressed using ASTA values.

About the Tamenglong mandarin orange: The Tamenglong mandarin orange is bigger in size, weighing 232.76 grams on average. It is a unique sweet and sour flavour. It has high juice content (around 45 per cent) and is rich in ascorbic acid (48.12 mg/100ml). These oranges are grown over areas spanning 1,800 hectares in the hills of Tamenglong, out of which 400 hectares are certified as organic by MOMA.

Note: Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh; Governor: La. Ganesan.

 

4. Charanjit Singh Channi to be next chief minister of Punjab: The Congress party has elected Charanjit Singh Channi, the outgoing technical education minister, as the new chief minister of Punjab after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the post. He has been elected as the leader of the Punjab Congress Legislative Party (CLP). He is an MLA from the Chamkaur Sahib assembly constituency. He will become Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister. Captain Amarinder Singh, who resigned as the chief minister of Punjab on Saturday following months of infighting between him and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Note: Governor of Punjab: Banwarilal Purohit.

 

5. Rajnath Singh launches a book title ‘Shining Sikh Youth of India’: The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has released a book titled ‘Shining Sikh Youth of India’ in New Delhi, as a part of the commemoration of the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs. The book has been authored by Dr Prabhleen Singh, administrative officer at the Punjabi University, Patiala. It covers 100 inspirational and motivational success stories of Sikh youth in India who have done exemplary work in their respective fields.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Iran becomes 9th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: Iran was officially admitted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The decision to admit Iran as a full member was declared in the 21st summit of the SCO leaders in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. At the end of the 21st Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the leaders of the eight main members of the organisation agreed to change the membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran from an observer member to a full member and signed the relevant documents. Accordingly, the technical process of Iran becoming one of the main members of the organisation has begun and Iran will henceforth cooperate and interact with member countries as the main member of the important regional organisation.

Note: SCO Headquarters: Beijing, China; SCO Secretary-General: Vladimir Norov; SCO Founded: 15 June 2001; SCO Permanent Members: China, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan India, Pakistan and Iran

 

2. International Week of Deaf People 2021: September 20 to 26: Every year, the full week ending on the last Sunday of September is observed as the International Week of the Deaf (IWD). In 2021, IWD is being observed from September 20 to 26, 2021. The last Sunday of the month of September is celebrated as the World Day of Deaf or International Day of the Deaf (September 26, 2021). The theme of 2021 IWD is “Celebrating Thriving Deaf Communities”.

History of the day: It is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy to commemorate the month when the first World Congress of the WFD was held.

Note: World Federation of the Deaf Founded: 23 September 1951, Rome, Italy; World Federation of the Deaf President: Joseph Murray.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Harmilan Kaur Bains sets new record in 1500m race at National level: Harmilan Kaur Bains of Punjab has created a new national record in the women’s 1500m race by clocking 4:05.39 to bag the gold at the 60th National Open Athletics Championships in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Hanamkonda in Telangana. With this achievement, the 23-year-old athlete has erased the 19-year-old record held by Sunita Rani in 1500m at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan by clocking 4:06.03.

 

2. India’s Raja Rithvik becomes 70th Grandmaster: India’s R Raja Rithvik became chess Grandmaster after he crossed the ELO Rating of 2500. The 17-year-old achieved this GM title in Vezerkepzo Grandmaster Chess Tournament at Budapest, Hungary. He thus became the 70th Grandmaster from the country. A native of Warangal, Rithvik has been undergoing advanced coaching at RACE Chess Academy under reputed coach N.V.S. Rama Raju.

 

3. Pankaj Advani wins Asian Snooker Championship 2021: India’s Pankaj Advani won the Asian Snooker Championship 2021 by defeating Amir Sarkhosh. He has won this title for a second consecutive time. He is the winner of the last Asian Snooker Championship held in 2019. In 2019, Pankaj also became the only player who won the titles in all forms of billiards, snooker, 6Reds, and 10Reds competitions. Yasin Merchant (1989, 2001), Alok Kumar (2004), Aditya Mehta (2012) were the other Indians who won the championship.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Fino Payments Bank appoints Pankaj Tripathi as brand ambassador: Fino Payments Bank (FPBL) has appointed Indian actor Pankaj Tripathi as its first brand ambassador, for a period of two-year. Pankaj Tripathi will be the face of Fino Payments Bank’s marketing campaigns across various platforms, to promote its products and services. To begin with, the actor will be the face of Fino bank’s first campaign titled ‘Fikar Not’. He will work with the brand in promoting its products and services representing through Fino’s ever-present and friendly neighbourhood local banker – Hamesha available!

Note: Chairman of Fino Payments Bank: Prof Mahendra Kumar Chouhan; Fino Payments Bank established: 13 July 2006; MD & CEO of Fino Payments Bank: Rishi Gupta; Headquarters of Fino Payments Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. NPCI partners with Liquid Group to enable UPI QR-based payments acceptance: NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) has partnered with Liquid Group Pte. Ltd. (Liquid Group) to enable UPI QR-based payments acceptance in 10 markets across North Asia and Southeast Asia. This partnership will help BHIM App users to make UPI QR-based payments in the 10 markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, from early 2022. This strategic partnership with Liquid Group is a formidable step towards achieving our vision of taking our robust and popular payments solutions to global markets. This will enable UPI QR-based payment acceptance and scale-up in Asian markets.

About the Liquid Group: Liquid Group is a leading cross-border digital payments provider, is headquartered in Singapore. It operates a QR payment acceptance network that enables the cross-border acceptance of payment schemes and digital payment apps.

Note: National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe; National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai; National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. LIC Launches Mobile App ‘PRAGATI’ for Development Officers: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a new mobile app ‘PRAGATI’ for the exclusive use of its Development Officers. PRAGATI stands for “Performance Review Application, Growth And Trend Indicator”. LIC has been taking a lot of customer-centric and digital initiatives for ease of operations for its customers and field force.

About the ‘PRAGATI’ app: The Pragati app will help the Development Officers to get near real-time information about the performance of their agency force in critical areas of business performance like premium collection, agency activisation, prospective outperformers, etc apart from monitoring their team on activities such as usage of agents mobile app and NACH validation. The app also provides development officers with a calculator to measure their cost ratio.

Note: LIC Headquarters: Mumbai; LIC Founded: 1 September 1956; LIC Chairman: M R Kumar.

 

2. World Bank Group Discontinues Doing Business Report: The World Bank Group has decided to discontinue publication of its ‘Doing Business” rankings of country business climates after a review of data irregularities in the 2018 and 2020 reports. The decision was taken by the Board of Executive Directors, World Bank Group management after data irregularities on Doing Business 2018 and 2020 were reported. To fill the void created by the discontinuation of this report, World Bank would be working on a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Odia litterateur, social worker and journalist Manorama Mohapatra passes away: Eminent Odia litterateur, social worker and journalist Manorama Mohapatra passed away. She was a former editor of Odia daily ‘The Samaja’. She had won the Sahitya Academy Award in 1984, Soviet Nehru Award in 1988, Critic Circle of India Award in 1990, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar Samman in 1991 and Rupambara Award in 1994.

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.