Daily GK Update- 13th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NITI Aayog launches ‘e-Sawaari India e-bus Coalition’: The National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog launched the ‘e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition’ in partnership with Convergence Energy Service Ltd (CESL) and World Resources Institute, India (WRI India) and with the support from Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI). The objective of the initiative is to share knowledge of various stakeholders – Central & State Govt. agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), on accelerating the process towards seamless adoption of e-bus services in India. Through, e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition, the central-, state-, and city-level government agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financing institutions, and ancillary service providers will be able to share knowledge and their learnings on e-bus adoption in India.

Note: World Resources Institute, India CEO: O P Agarwal; World Resources Institute, India Establishment: 2011; World Resources Institute, India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project approved by Cabinet: Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project has been approved by the Union Cabinet, which is chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. At 2020-21 price levels, the overall cost of the Ken-Betwa link project has been estimated at Rs. 44,605 crore. The Union Cabinet has approved central support for the project in the amount of Rs. 39,317 crore, which includes a grant of Rs. 36,290 crore and a loan of Rs. 3,027 crore. About the project:

(1) The project will be implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA).”

(2) The project includes the construction of the Daudhan dam across river Betwa from Ken and the transfer of water through a canal connecting the two rivers, Lower Orr project, Kotha barrage- and Bina complex multipurpose project.

(3) The project will irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually, provide drinking water to a population of 62 lakhs, and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

 

3. Bala Krishna Madhur’s autobiography titled ‘At Home In The Universe’ released: An autobiography titled ‘At Home In The Universe’ by Bala Krishna Madhur was released by R.C. Sinha, IAS (Rtd), advisor to the Ministry of Road Development in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book is the autobiography of B K Madhur, a former Chief Executive Officer at DHFL Property Services Ltd, and one of the key personalities in establishing Dewan Housing. The book offers an inside view into the policy environment in the 1980s and 1990s in the Housing Finance Sector. The book consists of early life hardships, experiences and life lessons of the author.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi holds India-Russia Summit 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit to discuss the entire gamut of relations, including regional and global issues. During his visit, India and Russia signed 28 agreements. The leaders discussed on International North-South Transport Corridor and also about the Chennai – Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor (which is under the proposal). The visit of the Russian President is a reflection of the country’s commitment to its ties with India. This is in need of the moment. Because the ties between India and Russia were buffeted by New Delhi’s ties with the US. Also, Russia was getting closer with China on the back of US sanctions, CAATSA and its annexation of Crimea in 2014. About the Summit:

(1) The countries agreed to extend the military-technical cooperation by another ten years. Currently, the indigenous production under this cooperation includes T – 90 tanks, MiG 29K aircraft, Su – 30 MKI, upgrade of MiG and supply of Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher Smerch. Both India and Russia are currently developing fifth-generation Fighter Aircraft and Multi-Role Transport Aircraft.

(2) Reserve Bank of India and Bank of Russia signed a pact to respond to cyberattacks.

(3) The leaders agreed that both the countries share common perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan. They agreed to implement a bilateral roadmap created to act upon Afghanistan.

(4) The Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation was held. This commission was established in 2000.

 

2. Asia Power Index 2021: India Ranked as Fourth: According to Lowy Institute Asia Power Index 2021, India has ranked 4th most powerful country in the Asia-Pacific region for comprehensive power out of 26 countries, with an overall score of 37.7 out of 100. India’s overall score declined by 2 points compared to 2020. India again falls short of the major power threshold in 2021. India is one of 18 countries in Asia to trend downward in its overall score in 2021.

The top 10 countries for overall power in the Asia-Pacific region are: (1) United States; (2) China; (3) Japan; (4) India; (5) Russia; (6) Australia; (7) South Korea; (8) Singapore; (9) Indonesia and (10) Thailand

Note: Lowy Institute Chairman of the Board: Frank Lowy AC; Lowy Institute Headquarters: Sydney, Australia.

 

3. UNICEF Day 2021: 11th December: Every year, UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 to raise awareness about saving children’s lives by defending and helping them to fulfil their wishes. The day provides assistance for the health, nutrition, education, and welfare of children during World War II. UNICEF’s name was subsequently changed from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund to United Nations Children’s Fund though, it continued to be known by the popular acronym based on the previous title. The theme for this year is to help children recover from interruptions and learning losses experienced through pandemics in the last two years.

UNICEF Day 2021 History: The day was established after World War II to assist people who needed help and whose lives were at risk. Later in 1953, UNICEF became a permanent agency of the United Nations. In 1946, the United Nations General Assembly announced this day for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Indian Shuttler PV Sindhu won Silver at BWF World Tour Finals 2021: Indian Shuttler and 2-time Olympic medalist Pusarla V Sindhu, world’s number 7, won the silver at the 2021 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals, officially known as the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2021. The reigning world champion PV Sindhu has won the BWF World Tour finals in 2018 and became the only Indian to achieve the feat.

HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2021 Winners:

 

Category	Winner	Runner-up
Women’s Singles title	An Se Young (South Korea)	PV Sindhu (India)
Men’s Single title	Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)	Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand)
Men’s double Title	Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi (Japan)	Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo. (Indonesia)
Women’s Double Title	Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong (South Korea)	Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida. (Japan)

 

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. City Union Bank & NPCI launched ‘On-the-Go’ wearable keychain: City Union Bank (CUB), in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and its manufacturing partner Seshaasai, has announced the launch of RuPay On-the-Go contactless wearable keychain for its debit card customers. This contactless wearable keychain will be part of their daily lifestyle and enable customers to tap and make cashless payments securely. About the On-the-Go solution:

(1) This On-the-Go solution allows the bank’s customers to carry payment cards on their keychains, making for fast and convenient payments up to ₹5,000 at all Rupay-enabled point of sale devices (PoS) without entering a PIN.

(2) This would increase digital payment behaviour among customers, especially the younger generation and students, by enabling faster check out and less waiting in queue with features to set the spending limit, enable/disable usage through net banking, and CUB’s All-in-One mobile app.

Note: City Union Bank Headquarters: Kumbakonam; City Union Bank CEO: Dr. N. Kamakodi; City Union Bank Founded: 1904.

 

2. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank named Ittira Davis as MD & CEO: The Board of Directors of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank appointed Ittira Davis as the MD and CEO of the bank. Davis has been appointed as the MD and CEO for a period of 3 years from the date of approval of the RBI or such other period as may be approved by RBI. Davis was the MD and CEO of Ujjivan Financial Services Limited from July 2018 from where he resigned in 2021.

About the Ittira Davis: He was with the Europe Arab Bank from July 2008 to October 2012 initially as the Managing Director – Corporate and Institutional Banking and then as an Executive Director. Davis has also previously worked with Citibank in India and the Arab Bank Group in the Middle East and has been associated with Ujjivan since 2015. He played a pivotal role in its transition into a Small Finance Bank.

Note: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Bengaluru; Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Founder: Samit Ghosh; Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Founded: 28 December 2004.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm partnered with AWS to offer startup Toolkits for entrepreneurs: Paytm, a leading digital ecosystem for consumers and merchants has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer Paytm Startup Toolkit with exclusive payment services to early-stage Indian startups. Paytm will help entrepreneurs to grow businesses with payment, distribution, and growth solutions who are operating in India in the AWS Activate.

About the Paytm Startup Toolkit: The Paytm Startup Toolkit is a single-stop platform that offers solutions in the domain of payments, payouts, banking and distribution with services including Paytm Payment Gateway, which helps businesses accept digital payments on their website, app; Paytm Payouts, which helps companies streamline their payments to employees, vendors, distributors and channel partners; and Paytm Payments Bank including nodal banking, which provides truly digital banking. Benefits of the toolkit:

(1) To help startups enhance brand visibility and grow their customer base, the Paytm Startup Toolkit also provides access to Paytm Mini Apps, which enables developers to set up low-cost, quick-to-build mini-apps which can be built using Open Source technologies like HTML and JavaScript.

(2) The Mini app store allows developers to integrate seamlessly with Paytm identity and payment services, and Paytm Ads, which offers flexible and cost-effective advertising solutions for brands where they can hand-pick their target audience and also find look-alike segments best suited for their campaigns.

Note: Paytm Founded: August 2010; Paytm Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India; Paytm CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Nilmani Phookan Jr and Damodar Mauzo receive Jnanpith Award: Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr won the 56th Jnanpith Award and Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo won the 57th Jnanpith Award. The country’s highest literary award, the Jnanpith is bestowed on writers for “their outstanding contribution to literature”. Jnanpith Award is a literary award presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith organization to Indian writers every year. This was instituted in 1961 and is given only to Indian writers who write in Indian languages and English.

About the Nilmani Phookan Jr: Phookan is a Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awardee. Based out of Guwahati, he is a poet of renown and has written Surya Henu Nami Ahe Ei Nodiyedi, Gulapi Jamur Lagna, and Kobita. Phookan was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 and received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2002. Phookan is the third Assamese writer to have received the Jnanpith. The previous awardees were Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya in 1979 and Mamoni Raisom Goswami in 2000.

About the Damodar Mauzo: Mauzo is based out of Majorda, Goa, and has previously won the Sahitya Akademi Award. He is known for his novels, such as Karmelin, and Tsunami Simon, and short stories Teresa’s Man and Other Stories from Goa. This is the second Jnanpith Award for a Konkani writer— the first being Ravindra Kelekar in 2006.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Padma Shri awardee Nanda Kishore Prusty passes away: Padma Shri awardee who is a well-known teacher from Odisha, Nanda Kishore Prusty (Nanda Sir), passed away. On 9th November 2021, he was conferred with the Padma Shri award for his contributions in the field of education. He belonged to Kantira village in Jajpur district, Odisha. Nanda Kishore Prusty, a Class 7 pass out has dedicated several decades of his life in providing free education to children and adults in Jajpur and thus best known for his selfless dedication towards eradicating illiteracy in Odisha.

Daily GK Update- 12th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister S Jaishankar addressed 5th Indian Ocean Conference: Union Minister of External Affairs (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has visited Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the 5th Indian Ocean Conference on December 4-5, 2021. The theme of the conference was ‘Indian Ocean: Ecology, Economy, Epidemic’. The Conference is chaired by Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa & Vice Chairs are S.Jaishankar, Vivian Balakrishnan, Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi.

Some important points discussed in the conference:

(1) The conference is being organised by India Foundation in collaboration with the RSIS Singapore, Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), Sri Lanka, and the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), UAE.

(2) This year the conference is dealing with the challenges faced by the Indian ocean, due to the effects of the pandemic, economic decline and climate change.

(3) Addressing the event, Dr S Jaishankar highlighted China’s growing power in the region.

(4) The External Affairs Minister also met his counterparts from the UAE and Oman and discussed bilateral cooperation with them before the start of the international conference.

 

2. ‘She is a Changemaker’ programme launched by National Commission for Women: National Commission for Women (NCW) has launched a pan-India capacity building programme, ‘She is a Changemaker’ for women representatives at all levels, gram panchayats to parliament members and political workers including office bearers of National/State political parties. The programme was launched by Ms Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women. To improve leadership skills of grassroots women political leaders.

About the programme: The official launch of training programmes under the ‘She is a Changemaker’ series was held in collaboration with Rhambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Thane, Maharashtra. The three-day capacity building programme for ‘Women in Municipal Corporation’ will be organised from 7thto 9th December. The capacity building programme will be undertaken in association with region-wise training institutes with an objective to undertake capacity building of women political leaders and improve their decision making and communication skills including, oration, writing, etc.

Note: National Commission for Women Formed: 1992; National Commission for Women Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

3. Kazhuveli Wetland declared as 16th Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu: The Kazhuveli wetland situated in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu has been declared as the 16th Bird Sanctuary by Surpiya Sahu, Environment and Forest Secretary, at the Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change. The declaration was made under subsection (1) of section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Kazhuveli wetlands is referred to as the 2nd largest Brackish Water Lake in South India, only after Pulicat lake. About Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary:

(1) It covers 5,151.60 hectares of land in Vanur taluk and 3,027.25 hectares in Marakkanam taluks.

(2) The sanctuary lies adjacent to the Bay of Bengal along the East coast of Tamil Nadu.

(3) Kazhuveli is a wetland of international importance that is spread over 670 square km in the east coast of Tamil Nadu.

(4) Note- Southern part of the wetland was declared reserved land in the year 2001.

(5) The Sanctuary covers 13 villages in the Villupuram district.

(6) The place is home to a diverse species of flora and fauna, giving accommodation to long-distance migrant birds from Central Asia and Siberia.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: MK Stalin; Tamil Nadu Governor: R.N.Ravi; Tamil Nadu State Dance: Bharathanatyam.

 

4. FICCI appoints Sanjiv Mehta as its President: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) announced that Sanjiv Mehta, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), will be appointed as its President. Mehta, presently the Senior Vice President of FICCI, will be succeeding media industry veteran Uday Shankar. Mehta is also the President of Unilever South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Nepal), and is a member of the ‘Unilever Leadership Executive’ which is Unilever’s Global Executive Board.

Note: FICCI Founded: 1927; FICCI Headquarters: New Delhi; FICCI President: Harshavardhan Neotia; FICCI Secretary General: Arun Chawla.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics: The Biden administration has announced that US officials will not attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing after China pledged unspecified “countermeasures” against any such diplomatic boycott. The US cited that “China’s human rights ATROCITIES” is the main reason for its boycott. The US has named the boycott as “Diplomatic Boycott”. It means that the US is not sending any official or diplomatic representation to participate in the Olympics. However, the US is allowing American athletes to participate in the Olympics. The US is boycotting for the following human rights atrocities of China: Situations in Taiwan and Tibet, The crackdown in Hong Kong and Abuse of minority Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

 

2. International Day of Neutrality: 12th December: International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12 each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations. It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12, 2017.

About Neutrality: Neutrality defined as the legal status arising from the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states, the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents, and the recognition by the belligerents of this abstention and impartiality is critically important for the United Nations to gain and maintain the confidence and cooperation of all in order to operate independently and effectively, especially in situations that are politically charged.

History of the Day: On 2 February 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted without a vote resolution 71/275 — introduced by Turkmenistan, recognized by the UN as a permanently neutral state since 12 December 1995, which noted the link between the preservation of peace and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and declared 12 December as the International Day of Neutrality.

 

3. International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12th December: International Universal Health Coverage Day is a United Nations’ recognized international day celebrated every year on December 12. International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners. Each year on 12 December, UHC advocates raise their voices to share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, champion what we have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move the world closer to UHC by 2030. This year theme of International Universal Health Coverage Day is “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in health systems for all.”

History of the day: On 12 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a resolution urging countries to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) – the idea that everyone, everywhere should have access to quality, affordable health care – as an essential priority for international development. On 12 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Russia defeated Croatia to win Davis Cup tennis tournament 2021: The Davis Cup 2021 was won by the Russian Tennis Federation by a 2-0 lead over Croatia in the Davis Cup final in Madrid. Medvedev defeated Marin Cilic in the second singles match to give Russia an insurmountable 2-0 lead over Croatia and its first Davis Cup title since 2006. Croatia also was seeking its third title after triumphs in 2005 and 2018. Andrey Rublev was named the Most Valuable Player. The Russian team is officially being called RTF (Russian Tennis Federation) in the competition amid its ongoing doping suspension in international sport.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI Monetary Policy: Repo rate unchanged for the 9th consecutive time: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das kept the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent for the ninth consecutive time while maintaining an ‘accommodative stance’ as long as necessary. The reverse repo rate will continue to be 3.35 per cent. The central bank had last revised the policy rate on May 22, 2020, in an off-policy cycle to perk up demand by cutting the interest rate to a historic low.  The meeting was held between December (6 to 8). The remaining will take place in February (7 to 9, 2022).

The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and bank rates remain unchanged:

Policy Repo Rate: 4.00%

Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%

Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 4.25%

Bank Rate: 4.25%

CRR: 4%

SLR: 18.00%

RBI Monetary Policy Highlights & Key Decisions:

(1) The projection for real GDP growth is retained at 9.5% in 2021-22, consisting of 6.6% in Q3, & 6% in Q4. Real GDP growth is projected at 17.2% for Q1 of 2022-23 and at 7.8% for Q2 of 2022-23.

(2) The inflation projection was retained for FY22 at 5.3%, 5.1% for Q3, 5.7% for Q4, and 5% for Q1 FY23.

The composition of the Monetary Policy Committee is as follows:

(1) Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio: Shri Shaktikanta Das.

(2) Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, in charge of Monetary Policy– Member, ex officio: Dr Michael Debabrata Patra.

(3) One officer of the Reserve Bank of India to be nominated by the Central Board – Member, ex officio: Dr Mridul K. Saggar.

(4) A professor at the Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Developmental Research: Prof. Ashima Goyal.

(5) A professor of finance at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad: Prof. Jayanth R Varma.

(6) An agricultural economist and a senior adviser with the National Council of Applied Economic Research in New Delhi: Dr Shashanka Bhide.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Pune to host joint military exercise PANEX-21 with BIMSTEC countries: PANEX-21 is a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise. It is to be held for the BIMSTEC countries. The exercise is to be held among the BIMSTEC countries: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The main aim of the exercise is to build regional cooperation in responding to natural disasters. It is to be conducted in Pune from December 20 to December 22. About the exercise:

(1) The participants of the exercise will be divided into eight syndicates. One syndicate from the participating countries and two from India.

(2) It will analyse the capabilities of member states in responding to the natural disasters. The countries will share their best practices.

(3) The exercise will review the procedures of preparedness and response. It will then recommend the evolution of organised structure.

(4) During the exercise, the countries will discuss military–to–military cooperation protocol.

 

2. India-Maldives joint military Exercise EKUVERIN in Maldives: The 11th edition of Exercise EKUVERIN-21 between India and Maldives, held at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives. Ekuverin means “Friends” in the Dhivehi language. It is an Indo – Aryan language. It is spoken in India, Lakshadweep and Maldives. The exercise enhances synergy and inter-operability between the Armed Forces of both nations in terms of understanding transnational terrorism both on land and at sea, conducting Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Operations and sharing best military practices and experiences.

Besides rigorous training, the joint military exercise will also include cultural and sports activities to enhance defence cooperation and bilateral relations. The exercise will go a long way in strengthening India’s relations with the Maldives amidst emerging security dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region. The Exercise is being conducted between India and Maldives since 2008. In 2019, the exercise was held in Pune, Maharashtra and in 2018, it was held in the Maldives.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. World’s Oldest Test Cricketer, Eileen Ash passes away: World’s oldest Test Cricketer, former English legend, Eileen Ash passed away at the age of 110. The right-arm seamer made her debut to the national side in 1937 against Australia and in a career spanning till 1949, she took 10 wickets in the seven matches she played. Her career was interrupted by the Second World War – she was seconded to MI6, the UK’s intelligence service – and retired from the sport in 1949. Eileen Ash was given the honour of ringing the bell at Lord’s in the Finals of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup where the host, England have crowned the champions after beating India in a thrilling Finals.

Daily GK Update- 11th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Sunil Arora invited to join top international democracy body IDEA: Former chief election commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora has been invited to join the board of advisers at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, also known as International IDEA. IDEA has a 15-member board of advisers, all of whom are eminent personalities from a wide variety of backgrounds. The election commission of India official statement that Sunil Arora has rich leadership experience, knowledge and skills to contribute significantly to the working of the International Institute. Sunil Arora had served as the 23rd Chief Election Commissioner of India from December 2018 to April 2021. It was under his tenure that the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections were conducted. About the International IDEA: 

(1) The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) was established in 1995. It is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, Sweden. India is one of the founding members of the institute.

(2)The key mission of International IDEA is to support sustainable democracy worldwide. It currently has 34 member countries, which include new, old, small and large democracies from all continents.

Note: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Founded: 27 February 1995; International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Stockholm, Sweden; International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Secretary-General: Kevin Casas-Zamora.

 

2. RBI: Gujarat became India’s Largest Manufacturing Hub: Gujarat has left behind Maharashtra to become the country’s leading manufacturing hub, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Gujarat saw its Gross Value Addition (GVA) in manufacturing grow by 15.9 per cent annually between FY12 to FY20 to stand at Rs 5.11 lakh crore, data shows. GVA is an economic metric that measures the supply of goods and services in an economy. Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s annual growth rate stood at nearly half of Gujarat’s at 7.5 per cent for the same time period and its GVA for manufacturing stood at Rs 4.34 lakh crore in FY20. Maharashtra is still the leading provider of services in India, with the state’s services GVA growing by 12.6 per cent annually, standing at Rs 15.1 lakh crore in FY20.

Note: Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Gujarat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel.

 

3. Unix signs Jasprit Bumrah as Brand Ambassador: Unix, an Indian Mobile Accessories manufacturing brand, has signed Indian Cricket Fast Bowler, Jasprit Bumrah as its Brand Ambassador to increase the visibility of their products. The products include wearable mobile electronics such as Chargers, Earphones, Data Cables, Power Banks, Wireless Speakers, Smartphone Batteries, Bluetooth neckbands and TWS are mostly manufactured and marketed across India through distributors.

 

4. A book on ‘Public Service Ethics’ authored by Prabhat Kumar: The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu launched ‘Public Service Ethics- A Quest for Naitik Bharat’ authored by Prabhat Kumar, published by IC Centre for Governance, at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, New Delhi. The book highlights the multiple dimensions element of human character, the practice of ethical principles as a way of life. It marked the importance of accountability, integrity, transparency and trustworthiness of the public governance system.

 

5. VP launched book ‘The Midway Battle: Modi’s Roller-coaster Second Term’: Vice President (VP) M. Venkaiah Naidu launched a book titled ‘The Midway Battle: Modi’s Roller-coaster Second Term’ authored by Gautam Chintamani and published by Bloomsbury India at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, New Delhi. The book mentioned the political scenario of India. It marks the second tenure of the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Midway Battle shed light on the various legislations like the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, triple talaq, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as well as farming laws.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Adama Barrow wins second term as Gambia’s President: The President of Gambia, Adama Barrow, won the second term as President during Gambia’s presidential election by achieving over 53% votes from 50 of 53 constituencies. He defeated his main challenger Ousainou Darboe who won 27.7% of vote. The results of the election were declared by Electoral commission Chairman Alieu Momarr Njai. Adama Barrow’s assumption as President 5 years ago ended more than 20 years of the dictatorship of former dictator Yahya Jammeh.

Note: Gambia Capital: Banjul; Gambia Currency: Gambian dalasi.

 

2. International Mountain Day: 11th December: International Mountain Day is observed globally on December 11 every year. The day is celebrated to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world. The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December will be sustainable mountain tourism. Sustainable tourism in mountains can contribute to creating additional and alternative livelihood options and promoting poverty alleviation, social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation. It is a way to preserve the natural, cultural and spiritual heritage, to promote local crafts and high-value products, and celebrate many traditional practices such as local festivals.

History of the day: The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003 to encourage the sustainable development of mountains. United Nations had declared 2002 as the UN International Year of Mountains. Mountains are home to 15% of the world´s population and host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. They provide fresh water for everyday life to half of humanity. Their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the SDGs.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. BWF: Viktor Axelsen, Tai Tzu Ying named 2021 BWF Player of the Year: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and China’s Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying were named Male and Female player of the year 2021 respectively by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It was the first season-ending award in this category for both Vicktor Axelsen and Tai Tzu Ying — the All England champions of 2020. Viktor Axelsen is the Olympic champion and Tai Tzu Ying is the Tokyo Games, silver medallist. Viktor Axelsen was rewarded for his extraordinary run starting from the Barcelona Spain Masters in February 2020.

Other awards:

Category	Name
Most improved player of the Year	Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin
Pair of the Year	Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu
Para Badminton Pair of the Year	Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel
Female Para Badminton Player of the Year	Leani Ratri Oktila
Male Para Badminton Player of the Year	Qu Zimo
Eddy Choong Most Promising Player	Kunlavut Vitidsarn
Special mention	Kevin Cordon

Note: Badminton World Federation Founded: 1934; Badminton World Federation Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Badminton World Federation President: Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. PNB launched “PNB Pride-CRMD module” app for differently-abled employees: Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched the PNB Pride-CRMD module tool, an android-based application for differently-abled employees to monitor and effectively follow up with the special mention account (SMA) borrowers. The Pride-CRMD module has built-in TalkBack software that allows the visually impaired to access the system freely and to interact with customers by tapping on their phones. Punjab National Bank emphasized the abilities of differently-abled staff members and the utilization of their skills in the conceptualization of PNB warriors and implementation of PNB Pride. Aim of the app:

(1) The app aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, it said, adding that the platform opens new vistas of opportunities for ‘PNB Warriors’ with visual or any other physical impairment, helping them to make a valuable and tangible contribution.

(2) This tool shall be compatible with iOS also very soon, it said. SMA accounts are stressed loans recognized early, enabling banks to initiate timely remedial actions, and preventing such borrowers from slipping to the non-performing assets (NPA).

Note: Punjab National Bank Founded: 1894; Punjab National Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; Punjab National Bank MD & CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao; Punjab National Bank Tagline: The Name You Can Bank Upon.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ravindra Jadeja ropes as Brand Ambassador of Kinara Capital: Bangalore based innovative, fast-growing fintech, Kinara Capital signed the Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, as its official brand ambassador on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary. Kinara Capital provide loan service to India’s MSMEs. Till date, Kinara Capital has disbursed 70,000 collateral-free loans. With this partnership, Kinara aims to boost its outreach in financing the MSME sector in the country. With a current AUM of INR 1000 crores, Kinara Capital plans to grow 500 per cent by the year 2025.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. GRSE launches first large survey vessel Sandhayak for Indian Navy: Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has achieved a new milestone with the launch of the first large survey vessel for the Indian Navy. Called Sandhayak, the vessel is the first in the series of four ships being built under the Survey Vessel Large (SVL) project. It has been built at GRSE. Indian State Defence Minister Ajay Bhatt, who was present at the launch ceremony, said that the ship’s launch is a new milestone for the country’s vision of ‘New India’ by 2030. In October 2018, the Indian Ministry of Defence and GRSE signed the contract to build the four survey ships. Featuring over 80% indigenous content by cost, the ships are fully designed by GRSE and are being built using ‘Integrated Construction’ concepts.

Note: GRSE Chairman & Managing Director: Rear Admiral V K Saxena; GRSE Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. India’s 1st Woman Psychiatrist Sarada Menon passes away: Padma Bhushan Dr Mamballaikalathil Sarada Menon, India’s 1st woman Psychiatrist and the longest-serving head of the Institute of Mental Health has passed away. She was born in a Malayali family in Mangaluru, Karnataka. She was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1992 for social works.

Daily GK Update- 10th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurated multiple projects worth Rs 18,000 crore in Uttarakhand: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth Rs 18,000 crore at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The 7 projects inaugurated consist of initiatives focusing on making travel safer including the 120 MW Vyasi Hydroelectric Project, along with Himalayan Culture Centre in Dehradun.

About the projects:

(1) The 11 projects for which the foundation has been laid include the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor which will be built at a cost of Rs 8,300 crore. It will have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor (12 kilometres) for unrestricted wildlife movement. The expressway will reduce the distance between the two cities from 248 km at present to 180 km.

(2) PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Dehradun – Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 1700 crore.

(3) The 120 MW Vyasi hydro-electricity project, a 38-km long stretch between Devprayag and Shrikot on NH-58 and a widened 33 km stretch between Brahmapuri and Kaudiyala on Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway were among the other crucial projects inaugurated by PM Modi on Saturday.

(4) He also announced that the services of three new medical colleges would soon be available in the state.

Note: Uttarakhand Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer); Uttarakhand Governor:  Lt Gen Gurmit Singh; Uttarakhand Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami.

 

2. India reaches 40 per cent target of power from non-fossil fuel: In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to achieve 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 at COP26 Climate Conference, the government said it has already achieved 40% of the target. As per the government, the country’s installed Renewable Energy (RE) capacity today stands at 150.05 GW while its nuclear energy-based installed electricity capacity stands at 6.78 GW. Prime Minister Modi at COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, pledged India will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

 

3. West Bengal secures $135 million World Bank loan to upgrade rural power distribution network: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has approved a USD 135 million loan to West Bengal to improve the operational efficiency and reliability of electricity supply in select pockets in the state. The variable spread loan or floating interest loan will have a maturity of 17 years, including a grace period of seven years and will aim to strengthen distribution networks, invest in smart-grid technologies, and ensure financial sustainability of the state discom.

 

4. A new book titled “1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories” released: A new book that unearths true stories of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, ’1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories, written by Rachna Bisht Rawat, was released. The book includes, from the story of the flight lieutenant who went missing after his plane crashed inside Pakistan to the ‘last khukri attack’ in modern military history.

About the author: Rachna Bisht Rawat is the author of six books by Penguin Random House India, including the bestsellers The Brave and Kargil. She lives in Gurugram with Hukum the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed golden retriever; an eclectic collection of books and music; and Manoj Rawat, the man in olive green, who met her when he was a gentleman cadet at the Indian Military Academy and offered to be her comrade for life.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China Launches Its First USD 6 Billion Cross-border BRI Train with Laos: China launched the first USD 6 billion cross-border train of its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from Laos, which Beijing says will help the small and only landlocked country in South East Asia turn into a land-linked hub, boost regional connectivity and supply chain resilience. The 1,035-km electrified passenger and cargo railway, connecting Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan Province with Laos’ capital Vientiane, fully adopts Chinese technical standards and consists of two sections. This is the first cross-border project under the BRI, China’s multibillion-dollar project in different countries with Chinese investments enhancing Beijing’s global influence.

 

2. With Development Agenda, Pakistan Elected Chair of Group of 77 in 2022: Pakistan has been elected as the following Chair of the Group of 77 for the yr 2022 with Islamabad promising a improvement agenda specializing in debt restructuring, concessional financing, local weather finance and ending illicit monetary flows. The 45th Ministerial meeting of ‘Group of 77 and China’ was held virtually. The Group of 77, established in 1964, is the largest intergovernmental grouping of developing countries in the United Nations. It provides the means for the countries of the Global South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests within the UN system.

 

3. Human Rights Day: 10th December: Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December annually across the world. This Day came into existence on December 10, 1948, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations. This day is observed every year across the world, as it empowers us all. The day also acknowledges the advocates and defenders of human rights around the world. The theme for Human Rights Day 2021 is “EQUALITY – Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights.” This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to ‘Equality’ and Article 1 of the UDHR – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

History of the day: United Nations General Assembly also known as UNGA adopted the UDHR  i.e Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the year 1948 on this very day. This was adopted with an agenda to eradicate the feeling of alienation from any person’s life due to the colour of his/her skin, the background of their community or culture, etc. The movement gained popularity instantly and almost 200,000 human rights stamps were ordered in advance from the United Nations Postal Administration in the year 1952.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Argentina beat six-time champions Germany to lift Junior hockey world cup: Argentina showcased its organised game with great composure to beat six-time champion German side 4-2 and win the title after 16 years in the men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium. Argentina has become the only third team after Germany (six wins) and India (2001, 2016) to win multiple Junior Hockey WC titles. Defending champions India finished fourth in the junior hockey world cup 2021 after losing 1-3 to France in the third-place match.

Other Awards:

Best Player of the Tournament: Timothée Clément (FRANCE)

Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Anton Brinckman (GERMANY)

Hero Top Scorer of the Tournament: Miles Bukkens (NETHERLANDS) (18 goals)

Odisha Fair Play Award: Team Chile

Odisha Fans Choice Award for Best Goal of the Tournament: Ignacio Nardolillo (ARGENTINA)

Hockey India Maximum Team Goals: NETHERLANDS (45 goals)

Hockey India Best Goal Saved of the Tournament: Mahmoud Seleem (EGYPT)

AM/NS India Best Coach of the Tournament: Johannes Schmitz (GERMANY)

FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2021: The FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup 2021 was hosted by Bhubaneswar, Odisha between November 24- December 5, 2021. The top 16 teams had participated in the tournament including India, Germany, Belgium, Argentina, Canada, South Africa, Egypt, Pakistan, Korea, Malaysia, Poland, France, Chile, Spain, USA and the Netherlands.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Paytm signs MoU with Skill Development Ministry to train youngsters in fintech: Paytm, the digital payment company, will train 6000 individuals over three years, to make them ready for the fintech domain. The tech company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect, with the Directorate of General Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The training programme, which will last six months, is designed by Paytm, in consultation with the DGT. This partnership with DGT, which focuses on the vocational and skill-based training of eligible youth in India, will help increase the availability of trained talent to fulfil the needs of the fintech industry.

 

2. SBI partners with Adani Capital for co-lending to farmers: State Bank of India (SBI) has recently inked an agreement with Adani Capital Private Ltd (Adani Capital), the NBFC arm of Adani Group, for co-lending to farmers for purchase of tractor and farm implements. With this partnership, SBI would be able to target farmer customers in the interior hinterland of the country looking for adoption of farm mechanization to enhance productivity of crops.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. GDP Growth: S&P projected India’s GDP growth forecast at 9.5% in FY22: S&P Global Ratings has retained the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast of India unchanged at 9.5 percent for the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) and 7.8 per cent for the year ending FY23. GDP growth projection of India was revised for FY 24 to 6 per cent from 5.7 percent estimated earlier. Rising inflation is a pressure point, unlike elsewhere in emerging Asia, but external demand continues to support growth, S&P noted.

Note: S&P Global Ratings Headquarters: New York, New York, United States; S&P Global Ratings Founder: Henry Varnum Poor; S&P Global Ratings Founded: 1860; S&P Global Ratings President: John L. Berisford.

 

2. Goldman Sachs: India’s GDP to grow 9.1% in 2022: Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs has estimated India’s GDP growth at 9.1 per cent in 2022. After India’s economy contracted by a sharp 7 per cent in 2020, Goldman Sachs pegged the economy to grow at 8 per cent in 2021 and 9.1 per cent in 2022. It earlier estimated India’s economic growth to 11.1 per cent in the fiscal year to March 31, 2022.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mathematician Nikhil Srivastava selected for inaugural AMS’s Ciprian Foias Award: Indian-American mathematician, Nikhil Srivastava, who teaches at the University of California, Berkeley along with Adam Marcus and Daniel Spielman were awarded the First Ciprian Foias Prize in Operator Theory by the American Mathematical Society (AMS). Adam Marcus holds the Chair of Combinatorial Analysis at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Daniel Spielman is a Sterling Professor of Computer Science, a professor of statistics and data science, and a professor of mathematics.

The $5,000 award has been given to Nikhil Srivastava for his work in developing and introducing techniques to understand the characteristic polynomial of matrices, including iterative sparsification. Nikhil Srivastava has earlier jointly won the George Polya Prize in 2014, and the Held prize in 2021 making this his third major award. He is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley.

About the award: The award recognises their highly original work that introduced and developed methods for understanding the characteristic polynomial of matrices, namely the iterative sparsification method (also in collaboration with Batson) and the method of interlacing polynomials.