Daily GK Update- 4th Dec, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Varanasi became 1st Indian city to start Ropeway Service: Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the first Indian city to start ropeway service as a mode of public transport in order to ease the traffic congestion. The proposed ropeway will be constructed between Cantt Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church Square (Godauliya) covering an aerial distance of 3.45 km. Its outlay is over Rs 400 crore which is divided between Central Government and State Government at 80:20. India will be the third country in the world after Bolivia and Mexico to use a ropeway for public transport.

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

 

2. Kerala Tourism launched STREET project for experiential tourism: Kerala Tourism launched the ‘STREET’ project to promote and take tourism deep into the interiors and rural hinterland of Kerala. The project would help visitors experience the diversity of offerings in these locales. The STREET is an acronym for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism hubs.

Aim of the project:

(1) The STREET project aims to present the unique identity of the state of Kerala before to travellers. It also offers a huge potential for growth in the tourism sector and would bring in significant changes.

(2) The project will foster mutually beneficial organic relationships between tourism development and the ordinary lives of people in the state of Kerala.

(3) The project, conceived by the Responsible Tourism Mission, is inspired by the ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’ slogan of The United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Note: Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan; Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

 

3. Addl Rs 10k crore allocated for MNREGA as interim measure: The Finance Ministry has allocated additional funds of ₹10,000 crore as an interim measure for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme after it ran out of funds allocated in the budget, according to the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). Further, allocation may be made upon assessment of demand during the Revised Estimate stage, said the rural development ministry — the nodal ministry for the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. In the Union Budget presented earlier this year, the government allocated Rs 73,000 crore to the scheme for the financial year 2021-22.

 

4. State-level scheme sanctioning committee approves drinking water supply schemes worth Rs 225.24 Crore for Uttarakhand: State-level scheme sanctioning committee (SLSSC) approved drinking water supply schemes worth Rs 225.24 Crore for Uttarakhand. These schemes will provide tap water connections in 293 villages spread over 7 districts of the State. Of the 12 water supply schemes sanctioned, 11 are multi-village and one is a single village scheme. This year, Jal Shakti Ministry has allocated Rs. 1,443.80 Crore to Uttarakhand, for ensuring clean tap water in every household and freeing women and girls from drudgery of fetching water from a distance.

 

5. Indian Navy Day: 4th December: In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country. The theme of Indian Navy Day 2021 is ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ signifying 50 years of India’s victory in the Indo-Pakistan war that took place in 1971.

Indian Navy Day History: Indian Navy is a naval branch of Indian armed forces Led by the President of India (commander-in-chief). Back in 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan war, December 4 was chosen to launch Operation Trident against Pakistan. On December 4, the Indian Navy formally entered the war and attacks on Karachi were constantly showering. As we all know because of the Indian Navy the whole country rejoiced with success. The victory over Pakistan made our country proud and respect the Indian Navy even more.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral R Hari Kumar; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Barbados becomes the World’s newest republic: Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony. Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society by the British. It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966.  Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state. Dame Sandra Prunella Mason took over as the President of Barbados. He was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021. He was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados. His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.

Note: Barbados Capital: Bridgetown; Barbados Currency: Barbados Dollar.

 

2. Sweden elects 1st Female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson: The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden. On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Swedan’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.

Note: Sweden Capital: Stockholm; Sweden Currency: Swedish krona.

 

3. International Day of Banks: 4th December: International Day of Banks is celebrated on December 4 to recognise the importance of multilateral and international development banks in financing sustainable developments. United Nations also observes the day in recognition of the vital role of banking systems in Member State in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.

History of the day: In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly designated December 4 as the International Day of Banks. It is celebrated for the first time in 2020. The day is celebrated to the recognition of the significant potential of multilateral development banks and other international development banks in financing sustainable development and providing know-how, and also in recognition of the vital role of the banking systems in the Member States in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Government collected Rs 1.31 lakh crores as GST for November: The gross GST revenue collected in the month of November 2021 is Rs 1,31,526 crores. The CGST was Rs 23,978 crore, SGST is Rs 31,127 crore. The IGST was Rs 66,815 crores (of this Rs 32,165 crores was collected from the goods imported). The cess collected was Rs 9,606 crores (This includes Rs 653 crores from the imported goods). The GST revenue collected for the month of November is 25% higher than the GST revenue of November 2020. And is 27% higher than GST revenue collected in November 2019. Previous months GST Collection:

October 2021: Rs 1.30 lakh crores

September 2021: Rs. 1,17,010 crores

August 2021: Rs. 1.12 lakh crores

July 2021: Rs. 1,16,393 crores

June 2021: Rs. 92,849 crores

May 2021: Rs. 1,02,709 crores

April 2021: Rs. 1.41 lakh crores (All time Highest)

March 2021: Rs. 1.24 lakh crores

February 2021: Rs 1,13,143 crores

January 2021: Rs. 1,19,847 crores

 

2. EXIM Bank commits $100 million loan for Covid vaccines in FY22: Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) has committed loans worth $100 million for domestic manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines or related products. These loans are being extended to about half a dozen drug makers in the country during the present financial year. The loans for vaccines are also being extended to other countries. This will be an advantage for Indian firms as the financing mandates Africa to source vaccines and related products only from India.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s GDP: Ind-Ra projected India’s GDP 9.4% in FY22: The rating agency, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Second Quarter of Financial Year-2022 (Q2 FY22) at 3 per cent and in FY22 at 9.4 per cent. Workplace mobility in Q1 FY22 was 26 per cent lower than the baseline and 16 per cent lower year-on-year than the baseline at The government’s capital expenditure (capex) grew 51.9 per cent in Q2 FY22 as against 26.3 per cent in Q2 FY21.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Lionel Messi Wins A Seventh Ballon d’Or: Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time after being named as the best player in 2021 by France Football. Messi scored 41 goals and registered 17 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions for club and country and led Argentina to a long-awaited Copa America win in the summer. Messi also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2015. The 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 games last season for Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey before captaining Argentina to Copa America glory in July.

Ballon d’Or 2021 Winners:

Ballon d’Or (Men): Lionel Messi (PSG/Argentina)

Club of the year: Chelsea Football Club

Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Ballon d’Or (Women): Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/Spain)

Striker of the year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland)

Kopa Trophy for best young male player: Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. National Award-winning Choreographer Shiva Shankar Master passes away: The renowned National Award-winning choreographer and actor, Shiva Shankar Master passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 7 December 1948 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian dance choreographer, worked in South Indian movies. He received the National Award for ‘Best Choreographer’ for the movie ‘Magadheera’.

Daily GK Update- 3rd Dec, 2021

  

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 1st Indian Young Water Professionals Programme launched: The First Edition of the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme was launched virtually. The programme was launched in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra; Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’ Farrell and Additional Secretary of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Debashree Mukherjee. The program was taken up under National Hydrology Project.

About the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme:

(1) The India Young Water Professional Programme is unique and different from typical capacity building and training programs. It focuses on the engaged Training and Learning Model.

(2) 70% of this program is focused on project-based learning by means of Situation Understanding and Improvement Projects (SUIP).

(3) It also focuses on gender equality and diversity, since sustainable water management can only benefit from the skills and views of all members of society.

(4) For the first edition of the programme, about 20 participants have been selected, comprising of 10 men and 10 women, from central & state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project.

 

2. Nagaland Police launches ‘Call Your Cop’ mobile app: Nagaland DGP T. John Longkumer officially launched the ‘Call your Cop’ mobile App at Police Headquarters in Kohima. The App was developed by Excellogics Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. The App will enable all citizens of the state especially those in distress to get in touch directly with the police as easily available with just one click away. The features in the App include a directory, alerts, tourist tips, SOS, nearest police station and search. Citizens can download the app from the google store on any android phone. One can download the app from the google store. With this app, you can also receive notifications like news, updates, advisory, etc.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

3. All India Radio launches youth programme AIRNxt: All India Radio has decided to begin a new programme called AIRNxt to offer youth a platform to air their voices as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. AIR stations will allow youngsters from local colleges, universities to take part in programming, allowing them to discuss and curate youth-centric shows. About the show:

(1) It added that about 20,000 youth from 1,000 educational institutions will be participating during the next year from every nook and corner of India through 167 AIR stations.

(2) These shows would encourage the youth to speak about the achievements of the country during the last 75 years of independence and where do they expect the country to reach in various fields.

(3) This way, the youth can air their big dreams and define the future of India. It is the biggest single theme show on All India Radio involving thousands of youth and hundreds of Educational Institutions across the country. This talent hunt show #AIRNxt will be broadcast in all major Indian languages and dialects.

Note: All India Radio Founded: 1936; All India Radio Headquarters: Sansad Marg, New Delhi; All India Radio Owner: Prasar Bharati.

 

4. Vivek Johri becomes new chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs: Senior bureaucrat, Vivek Johri has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). He will succeed M Ajit Kumar who is completing his tenure. He is a 1985-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes) officer. He is currently working as a member in the CBIC. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC): CBIC is the nodal national agency to administer GST, Customs, Central Excise, Service Tax & Narcotics in India. The Customs & Central Excise department was established by the British Governor-General of India in 1855, for administering customs laws and for collecting import duties or land revenue. CBIC is one of the oldest government departments in India.

Note: CBIC Headquarters: New Delhi, India; CBIC Formed: 26 January 1944.

 

5. Venkaiah Naidu released a Book “‘Democracy, Politics and Governance’: Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu on the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the ‘Constitution of India’ released a book titled “Democracy, Politics and Governance” in English and ‘Loktantr, Rajniti and Dharm’ in Hindi at an event in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi. The book was authored by Dr A. Surya Prakash. This book is a collection of articles about the social, political, and economic issues that impacted India’s politics and governance. Dr A. Surya Prakash is a Vice Chairman, Executive Council of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and also a veteran journalist.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. South Korea to get world’s first floating city by 2025: South Korea is soon going to get the world’s first floating city, to deal with the problem of floods due to rising sea levels. The floating city project is a joint effort by the UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habit) and OCEANIX. The city will be built off the coast of Busan in South Korea and is likely to be completed by 2025.

About the city: The floating city will have ‘flood-proof infrastructure’ and comprise several man-made islands to eliminate the risk of flooding. The self-sufficient city will be specifically designed to withstand natural disasters like tsunamis, floods, and Category 5 hurricanes.

Note: South Korea Capital: Seoul; South Korea Currency: South Korean won; South Korea President: Moon Jae-in.

 

2. Merriam-Webster Dictionary Declares “Vaccine” As Word Of The Year For 2021: The American publishing company Merriam-Webster has chosen the word “vaccine” as its 2021 Word of the Year. Merriam-Webster is America’s most trusted online dictionary for English word definitions, meanings, and pronunciation. It has been declaring the word of the year since 2008. The word “vaccine” saw a 601 percent increase in definition lookups over the year, compared to 2020.

 

3. World Day of the Handicapped: 3rd December: World Handicapped day also known as the International Day of Persons with disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December globally. The day is marked and observed to support critical issues which are related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The IDPWD day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme of the World Day of the Handicapped 2021 is the Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities. The day is celebrated to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Note: United Nations Secretary-general: António Guterres; United Nations Headquarters: New York, United States; United Nations Founded: 24 October 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. White-label ATMs: India1 Payments installed 10,000 white-label ATMs: India1 Payments has crossed a milestone on deploying 10000 white-label ATMs, which was called as “India1ATMs”. India1 Payments is IPO-bound and is promoted by the Banktech Group of Australia. It was formerly known as BTI Payments. India1 ATM has become the second-largest white label ATM brand on semi-urban and rural areas. With the deployment of 10000 ATMs, India1 Payments has become the largest player in this segment.

White-Label ATMs: The Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which are set up, owned and operated by non-bank entities are known as “White Label ATMs” (WLAs). Non-bank entities which are incorporated in India, under the Companies Act 1956, are allowed to run WLAs. Non-bank entities are allowed to set up WLAs across India, after getting authorisation from the apex bank, under the Payment & Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.

Note: India1 Payments Limited Founded: 2006; India1 Payments Limited Headquarters location: Bengaluru.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Indian Oil, BPCL, HPCL launch Model Retail Outlet Scheme: Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited announced the launch of Model Retail Outlet Scheme and a Digital Customer Feedback Program called Darpan@petrolpump. Three oil PSU’s have joined hands to launch Model Retail Outlets to enhance service standards and amenities, across their networks, which serve over 6 Crores consumers everyday. The scheme involves an intense 5 Level evaluation process of over 70000 retail outlets in the country on a set of core service and facility parameters as well as standard of customer amenities e.g., clean and hygienic washrooms, customer centric innovative offerings etc. The Retail Outlets have been divided into 4 categories based on sales performance, facilities offered and their percentage of digital transactions at the point of sale in keeping with the Digital India imperative.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. International Press Institute honours for NDTV, The Week teams: The International Press Institute (IPI) India Award for Excellence in Journalism 2021 has been awarded jointly to Sreenivasan Jain and Mariyam Alavi of NDTV, and Lakshmi Subramanian and Bhanu Prakash Chandra of “The Week”. Meanwhile, the IPI India Award for Excellence in Journalism 2020 had been awarded to Ritika Chopra of The Indian Express.

The awardees for 2020 and 2021 will be felicitated in New Delhi in December 2021 or January 2022. The award comes with a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh, a trophy and a citation. The Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Broadway composer & lyricist Stephen Sondheim passes away: Veteran composer and lyricist, Stephen Joshua Sondheim has passed away at the age of 91 in Connecticut, United States (US). He received 8 Tony Awards, a Special Tony Award 2008 for lifetime achievement in the theatre. He also received a Pulitzer Prize (‘Sunday in the Park’), and an Academy Award for the song ‘Sooner or Later’. Also won several awards like eight Grammy Awards, Presidential Medal of Freedom 2015, etc.

Daily GK Update- 2nd Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre Constitutes 5 member committee to monitor implementation of Central Vista Project: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has formed a five-member committee for timely completion of various projects executed under the Central Vista Redevelopment Plan. The Central Vista Redevelopment Project is the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of the Central Vista, India’s central administrative buildings located near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. The committee will be headed by former finance secretary Ratan P Watal.

Other member of the panel are:

(1) Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) -P K Tiwari,

(2) Former director of L&T – Shailendar Roy

(3) IIT Delhi professor – Prof. Mausam

(4) Joint secretary of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

The terms of reference of the ‘Central Vista Oversight Committee’ will be to ensure:

(1) Coordination among multi-agency and stakeholder for seamless integration of different project works of Central Vista

(2) Continuous monitoring of the pace of execution of various projects to ensure their timely completion.

 

2. 7th India International Science Festival to be held in Panaji, Goa: The 7th edition of the four-day India International Science Festival (IISF) is scheduled to be held in Panaji, Goa, from December 10 to 13, 2021. The festival theme in 2021 is “Celebrating Creativity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous India”. The first IISF was held in New Delhi in 2015. The Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is the nodal agency to organise IISF 2021. The festival will be organised jointly with the Departments of Atomic Energy (DAE), Science and Technology (DST), Biotechnology (DBT), and Space (DoS) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

 

3. 1st ever Aharbal Festival held in J&K to promote tourism: Kulgam district administration and the Department of Tourism, Jammu & Kashmir organized the 1st ever Aharbal Festival at Kulgam, J & K to promote tourism in Kashmir, particularly at the Aharbal waterfall. Aharbal falls, also known as “Niagara Falls” of Kashmir, is a hill station in the southwestern part of Kashmir Valley in the Jammu and Kashmir. The department organized the 1st ever Lolab festival, a one-day festival at Chandigam Lolab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, J&K, and Doodhpathri Festival, a 3-day tourism festival at Budgam, J&K, to promote Doodhpathri as an attractive tourist destination.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of J&K: Manoj Sinha.

 

4. “Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947” authored by Ayaz Memon: A book titled ‘Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947’ authored by Ayaz Memon released. It is an anthology of Indian Cricket and marked several insights of Indian cricket of the last 70 years. The book has covered the era of veteran cricketers K N Prabhu to P N Sundaresan and Dicky Rutnagar to Ramachandra Guha and Suresh Menon, those years of famous victories consist of experiences about World Cups, various Test cricket, etc.

 

5. National Pollution Control Day 2021: 2nd December: National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2nd December every year. The day is observed as a national pollution control day to commemorate the lives of the people who died in the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984. The main objective of this day is to educate the people and to make them aware of pollution control acts and industrial disasters. This year will be marked as the 37th national pollution control day. To know more about this day, candidates are advised to read the article below.

History of National Pollution Control Day: The day is observed in the memory of people who lost their lives in the Bhopal gas disaster. The industrial accident occurred in 1984 when the gas Methyl Isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2–3 and killed thousands.

Objectives of the day:

(1) Spread awareness of managing and controlling industrial disasters

(2) Prevent the pollution produced by industrial processes or human negligence

(3) Make people and industries aware of the importance of pollution control acts

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UAE’s Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi elected as President of INTERPOL: The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has elected Inspector General Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi (United Arab Emirates) as its President for a 4-year term at the 89th Interpol general assembly meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey. He replaces Kim Jong Yan from South Korea. In the final round, the UAE candidate received 68.9 per cent of votes cast by member countries. As president, Al Raisi’s role during his four-year term will be to chair meetings of the executive committee which supervises the implementation of decisions taken at the General Assembly.

Note: INTERPOL Formed: 1923; INTERPOL Headquarters: Lyon, France; INTERPOL President: Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi; INTERPOL Member states: 195; INTERPOL Secretary-General: Jürgen Stock; INTERPOL Motto: connecting police for a safer world.

 

2. India and Germany launches WISER program for lateral entry for women researchers in joint R&D projects: The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) has launched a first-of-its-kind programme to promote women researchers in the field of research and development (R&D) through lateral entry. The programme is called Women’s Involvement in Science and Engineering Research (WISER). WISER will encourage women researchers in joint R&D projects. IGSTC is a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Government of Germany.

 

3. World Computer Literacy Day 2021: 2nd December: World Computer Literacy Day is observed on 2nd December every year all over the world. The day is celebrated as the world computer literacy day to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide. The day promotes technological skills, especially in children and women, and aims to inspire them to learn more and make their work easier by the use of computers. To know, more about the World Computer Literacy day candidates are advised to read the below article.

History of World Computer Literacy Day: The day was originally founded by the Indian computer company NIIT to mark its 20th anniversary in 2001. World Computer Literacy Day was first observed and held in the year 2001 on 2nd December. As mentioned above, the day is celebrated to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide.

 

4. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: 2 December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed annually on 2nd December since 1986 by the United Nations General Assembly. The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

History of the day: The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, marks the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) of 2 December 1949).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI approves to increase LIC’s stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its approval to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to raise its stake in private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank to 9.99 per cent. Currently, LIC holds 4.96% stake in the private lender. Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited has received an intimation from LIC stating that the RBI had granted its approval to LIC, for increasing its holding in the Bank up to 9.99 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital of the Bank. Key points:

(1) The approval of the central bank will be valid for one year. As per RBI norms, prior approval of the RBI is required to increase the stake in private banks beyond 5 per cent.

(2) LIC is one of the biggest institutional investors in India’s stock market and has a stake in a number of private and public sector banks. LIC has a stake in as many 24 scheduled commercial banks, data from Capitaline shows.

(3) Among other major banks, LIC holds 8.8 per cent in Canara Bank, 8.3 per cent in Punjab National Bank and State Bank of India, 8.2 per cent in Axis Bank, and 7.6 per cent in ICICI Bank.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Indian-origin executive Parag Agrawal new Twitter CEO: Indian-origin technology executive, Parag Agrawal has been appointed as the new CEO of Twitter after the social media giant’s co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down. He is now the youngest CEO in the S&P 500 elbowing Meta Platform Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg. However, Agrawal is 37 and the same age as Mark Zuckerberg. Parag joined Twitter 10 years ago when there were fewer than 1,000 employees. He has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware and humble.

About Parag Agrawal: Parag did his undergrad at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Following this, he went on to do his masters from Stanford University. He completed his PhD in Computer Science from the same place in 2012.

Note: Twitter formed: 21 March 2006; Headquarters of Twitter: San Francisco, California, United States.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 6th BRICS Film Festival Awards 2021 announced: The 6th edition of the BRICS Film Festival awards was announced at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa. For the first time, BRICS Film Festival was held alongside IFFI from November 20 to November 28, 2021. The Jury for this competitive festival had 5 members, one from each of the BRICS countries. The jury selected the awards under five categories after examining twenty films.

Awardees:

(1) South African Film ‘Barakat’ by Director Amy Jephta and Russian Film ‘The Sun above Me Never Sets’ by Director Lyubov Borisova shared the Best Film Award in the Sixth edition BRICS Film Festival.

(2) Brazilian filmmaker Lúcia Murat was awarded Best Director for her documentary ‘Ana’.

(3) Indian actor Dhanush won Best Actor (Male) for his role in ‘Asuran’.

(4)Brazilian actor Lara Boldorini was honoured with Best Actor (Female) for her role in ‘On Wheels’.

(5) Jury Special Mention Award was presented to Director Yan Han for his film A Little Red Flower from China.

 

Daily GK Update- 1st Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Railways Constructing World’s Tallest Pier Bridge in Manipur: The Indian Railways is constructing the tallest pier railway bridge of the world in Manipur. The ambitious project of the Railways in Manipur is part of the Jiribam-Imphal railway line, which ultimately is part of a new broad gauge line being constructed to connect the northeastern state with the rest of the country. Currently, the tallest pier bridge record is held by 139-metre high Mala-Rijeka viaduct built at Montenegro in Europe.

About the bridge:

(1) The bridge is being built at a height of 141 metres.

(2) The total length of the Manipur bridge will be 703 metres.

(3) Once completed, the project will enable passengers to cover 111 km of distance in 2-2.5 hrs.

 

2. Skyroot test-fired India’s 1st privately Built Cryogenic Rocket Engine “Dhawan-1”: Skyroot Aerospace, a space technology startup based in Hyderabad, has successfully test-fired Dhawan-1, India’s first privately developed fully cryogenic rocket engine. This will power the upper stages of its upcoming Vikram-2 orbital launch vehicle. The rocket engine Dhawan-1 is named after Satish Dhawan, an Indian rocket scientist.

About the Dhawan-1: Dhawan-1 is a completely ‘Made-in-India’ cryogenic engine, developed using 3D printing with a superalloy. The engine is fuelled by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen—a high-performance, low-cost, and clean rocket fuel.

Note: Skyroot Aerospace Founded: 12 June 2018; Skyroot Aerospace Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana; Skyroot Aerospace Co-founder, CEO & CTO: Pawan Kumar Chandana; Skyroot Aerospace Co-founder, COO: Naga Bharath Daka.

 

3. Harshwanti Bisht becomes 1st women President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation: Noted mountaineer from Uttarakhand, Harshwanti Bisht has earned the distinction of being elected the first woman president of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). The 62-year-old Bisht won 60 out of a total of 107 votes to get elected to the coveted post. It is for the first time that a woman has been elected as the president of the IMF, which was founded in the year 1958.

 

4. A book on India-Pakistan War 1971 released by MM Naravane: General MM Naravane released a book ‘Bangladesh Liberation @ 50 years: ‘Bijoy’ with Synergy, India-Pakistan war 1971’, a compilation of personal accounts of the war by veterans from India and Pakistan. The book is an amalgamation of historical and anecdotal accounts of the 1971 War and comprises authors from both India and Bangladesh mostly who fought the war.

About the event: The event was organized by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) at the India International Centre (IIC), Delhi to commemorate 50 Years of India-Bangladesh Friendship as well as the decisive victory in India- Pakistan War 1971.

An award ceremony was also conducted. The ‘Scholar Warrior Award’ was awarded by the former COAS (Chief of Army Staff) of Bangladesh, Bir Protik to Brigadier Narender Kumar for his outstanding contribution as a warrior and in the field of research.

 

5. BSF celebrates 57th Raising Day on December 01, 2021: The Border Security Force (BSF) is celebrating its 57th Raising Day on 01 December 2021. BSF was formed on December 1, 1965 as a unified central agency after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith. It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India and stands as the world’s largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed as the First Line of Defence of Indian Territories.

Note: BSF Director General: Pankaj Kumar Singh; BSF Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Petr Fiala appointed as new Prime Minister of Czech Republic: Petr Fiala has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic by President Milos Zeman. Fiala, 57, heads the three-party coalition Together (Civic Democratic Party, Christian Democrats, TOP 09 party), which garnered 27.8% of the vote in early October. Fiala succeeds Andrej Babis. The alliance narrowly defeated the ANO movement led by billionaire Babis. The centrist group of the Mayors and Independents and the left-wing Pirate Party joined with Fiala’s coalition to remove Babis, who had served as prime minister since 2017.

Note: Czech Capital: Prague; Currency: Czech koruna.

 

2. World AIDS Day: 1st December: World AIDS Day is observed across the globe on 1st December every year since 1988. The day provides an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. This year the theme of World AIDS Day is “End inequalities. End AIDS and End Pandemics.” With a special focus on reaching people left behind, WHO and its partners are highlighting the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services.

History of the day: The day was first marked in 1988 and was also the first-ever international day for global health. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic disease that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The immune system of the person who is suffering from the disease gets damaged and also reduces the disease-fighting ability of the body.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Saurav Ghosal wins Malaysian Open Squash Championship 2021: Indian Squash star, Saurav Ghosal has scripted history as he has become the first Indian squash player to win the Malaysian Open Championships. The second-seeded Ghosal beat Miguel Rodriguez of Colombia 11-7, 11-8 and 13-11 in the men’s singles final in Kuala Lumpur to win the 2021 Malaysian Open Squash Championships title. On the other hand, the women’s singles title of the 2021 Malaysian Open squash championships has been won by Malaysia’s Aifa Azman.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. India’s 1st Credit Card made from Recycled PVC Plastic launched by HSBC: HSBC India has launched India’s 1st credit card made from recycled PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) plastic. The cards have been introduced in partnership with global cards manufacturer IDEMIA to gradually eliminate single-use PVC plastic. The cards are made from 85 per cent recycled plastic and each card will save 3.18gm of plastic waste in addition to helping lower overall carbon emission.

About the card: The card was launched as a part of a new program launched by HSBC Group to introduce sustainable cards across all its global locations to support its global commitments to sustainability and a net-zero in its operations by 2030.

Note: HSBC India Founded: 1853; HSBC India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; HSBC India CEO: Hitendra Dave.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Kantar’s BrandZ India report 2021 announced: According to Kantar’s BrandZ India 2021 report, Amazon, Tata Tea and Asian Paints emerged as the most purposeful brands in India across technology, FMCG, and non-FMCG categories respectively. In technology ranking Amazonleads the index followed by Zomato, YouTube, and Google, and Swiggy jointly in 4th place. While Asian Paints topped the non-FMCG rankings, Samsung and Jio ranked jointly in the 2nd position, followed by MRF. The FMCG category rankings saw Tata Tea topping the chart, Surf Excel in 2nd position.

India’s Top 5 Most Purposeful Brands:

 

Rank	Most Purposeful Technology Brands	Most Purposeful FMCG Brands	Most Purposeful Non-FMCG Brands
1	Amazon	Tata Tea	Asian Paints
2	Zomato	Surf Excel(Detergent brand)	Samsung & Jio
3	YouTube	Taj Mahal (tea brand)	MRF
4	Google & Swiggy	Parachute & Maggi	Tata Housing
5	Flipkart	Britannia	Airtel

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 52nd International film festival of India concluded in Goa: The 52nd edition of the International film festival of India concluded in Goa. For the first time, the BRICS film festival was hosted alongside IFFI, OTT platforms participated and 75 creative young minds of cinema were felicitated at IFFI. The event was attended by Manoj Bajpayee, Randhir Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene as well as Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur and Goa CM Pramod Sawant.

List of award winners in IFFI Goa:

Most friendly State for film shooting: Uttar Pradesh

Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Male): Jitendra Bhikulal Joshi (Godavari)

Best actor (female): Angela Molina (Paraguay) for Charlotte

Best director: Vaclav Kadrnka (Czech Republic) for ‘Saving One Who Was Dead’

Golden Peacock Award for Best Film: Japanese film Ring Wandering (Masakazu Kanyeko)

The Special Jury award: Renata Carvalho (Brazil)

Indian Film Personality of the Year Award: Prasoon Joshi

Jury Special Mention for Debut Feature Film: The Wealth of the World

Best Debut Feature Film of a Director: Director Mari Alessandrini’s Zahori

ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award: Lingui: The Sacred Bonds