Daily GK Update- 22nd Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India to raise legal marriage age for women: The proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 was cleared by the Union Cabinet. Presently, the minimum age of marriage for men is 21 but for women, it is 18. The government will now look to introduce amendments to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act, and the Hindu Marriage Act to bring the plan into action. This will give a chance to the girls to study more. They will be able to enjoy their independence. They will also get better employment opportunities.”

According to a 2017 United Nations report: India was struggling to stop child marriages and improve the health of its mothers. The report said as many as 27 per cent of Indian girls were married before they turned 18.

 

2. ADB approves $112 million loan to establish Assam Skill University: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $112 million loan to strengthen skills education and training through the establishment of the Assam Skill University (ASU). The Loan will create a path for skill development to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Assam’s economy and industries. An additional $1 million grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction will support the introduction of technologies for smart campus management, integrated teaching, learning, and career development management.  About the project:

(1) The project will help develop the ASU’s management and operating systems, business models, and faculty and staff, and support the design and construction of environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient university campus and facilities to ensure efficient and sustainable operations.

(2) It will also support the design and delivery of industry-aligned and flexible skills education and training programs, including cutting-edge digital skills programs, career development programs and services, and continuing education programs.

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

 

3. IIT-Delhi tie-up with IAF to improve indigenisation efforts: IIT-Delhi signed an MoU with Indian Air Force (IAF) to support requirements towards indigenous solutions in various weapon systems. Under the MoU, The IAF has identified key focus areas involving the development of technology and finding indigenous solutions towards the sustenance of various weapon systems. The partnership between IIT Delhi and IAF will also boost the efforts by Base Repair Depots (BRDs) of Maintenance Command IAF.

Note: Indian Air Force Establishment: 8 October 1932; Indian Air Force Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi; Indian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari; Indian Air Force Motto: Touch the Sky with Glory.

 

4. Odisha tie-up with UNCDF to launch “Mission Shakti Living Lab”: Odisha inked an agreement with United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to launch “Mission Shakti Living Lab” for the financial empowerment of women. A Global Centre for Financial Health, to launch Mission Shakti Living Lab empowering women economically and drive gender equality. With the use of digital technologies and e-commerce, it will increase the income and financial well-being of women, self-help groups (SHGs) and households by helping them in the factors of planning, saving, borrow or spending better. It will address the barriers related to the autonomy and financial freedom of women.

About the Mission Shakti: Mission Shakti was launched in 2001 to enhance the holistic development of women, there are 6.02 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) comprising 70 lakh members across rural and urban areas of Odisha under the initiative. This initiative led to an increase in the income of SHG members from Rs 3,000 to 15,000 per month in Odisha.

Note: UN Capital Development Fund Founded: 1966; UN Capital Development Fund Headquarters: New York, United States; UN Capital Development Fund Executive Secretary: Preeti Sinha.

 

5. A Book titled ‘Pride, Prejudice and Punditry’ by Dr Shashi Tharoor: Former union minister and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Dr. Shashi Tharoor‘s 23rd book titled ‘Pride, Prejudice and Punditry’ was launched in Hyderabad, Telangana. There are ten sections in this book, each devoted to a particular topic such as modern Indian history, Indian Politics, etc. He has won ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ for 2019, awarded to his book – ‘An Era of Darkness. The book marks the culmination of over 50 years of Dr Tharoor’s writings. His first short story made it into print when he was only 10 and since then he has published well over 5 million words—in books, newspapers, magazines, journals, online media, etc.—on a wide array of subjects.

 

6. National Mathematics Day: 22nd December: India observes the National Mathematics Day every year on 22 December since 2012. The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. This year nation celebrates his 134th birth anniversary of Ramanujan. The main objective behind the celebration of National Mathematics Day is to make people aware of the development of mathematics and its importance in the growth of humanity.

History of National Mathematics Day: The day was announced on 26 February 2012 by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan (22 Dec 1887- 26 Apr 1920). 2012 was also observed as National Mathematics Year. Ramanujan had a wealth of ideas that have transformed and reshaped 20th-century mathematics. These ideas continue to shape the mathematics of the 21st century.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Malta becomes first European nation to approve cannabis for personal use: Malta became the first European country to allow limited cultivation and possession of cannabis for personal use, following a vote in parliament. The Maltese parliament voted in favour of the reform last week, with 36 votes in favour and 27 against.  Adults will be allowed to grow four plants at home and carry seven grams of cannabis, with smoking in public or in front of children remaining illegal. The Netherlands also has a liberal attitude towards cannabis, allowing the sale of small quantities in a policy aimed at managing crime and health risks, though officially it is illegal.

Cannabis: Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant. Native to Central and South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries.

Note: Malta Capital: Valletta; Malta Currency: Euro.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurates Khelo India Women’s Hockey League: Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur formally inaugurated the first-ever national-level Khelo India Women’s Hockey League at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. The winner of the Khelo India Women’s Hockey League will get a cash prize of 30 lakhs. In the first phase, total 14 teams will participate in the league and 42 matches will be played from 15 December to 21 December. The second and third phases will be organized in early next year. The Sports Authority of India and Hockey India are jointly organizing the first-ever national-level Khelo India league. This is the first big event that will be organized at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium after 2015.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI form ‘ALERTs’ committee for early detection of market anomalies: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set up an Advisory Committee for Leveraging Regulatory and Technology Solutions (ALeRTS) to enhance technological capabilities and explore suitable technology solutions for the early detection of market anomalies. ALeRTS is a 7-member committee headed by Madhabi Puri Buch, a former whole-time member of SEBI and has experts from various technology domains as members. About the ALeRTS:

(1) ALeRTS will recommend future roadmaps and improvements in the various ongoing technology projects. It will also guide SEBI in designing and framing requirements for the different in-house systems

(2) In addition, the committee has also been constituted “to guide SEBI from a domain perspective, in ascertaining the adequacy of SupTech / RegTech tools envisaged/proposed to be used in-house for improving its capabilities,”.

Note: Securities and Exchange Board of India Founded: 12 April 1992; Securities and Exchange Board of India Headquarters: Mumbai; Securities and Exchange Board of India Agency executive: Ajay Tyagi.

 

2. Paytm launches EdTech Platform “Paytm Wealth Academy”: Paytm, which got listed in bourses last month, has announced the launch of Paytm Wealth Academy, a tech-powered educational platform. The launch of the wealth academy is initially on the Paytm Money app, the wealth management app owned by Paytm’s wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Money. Paytm Wealth Academy will initially be available to select users, followed by a complete rollout.

About the Academy:

(1) The Paytm Wealth Academy will allow users to learn trading and financial concepts at their own pace at their level of comfort. The platform offers a wide catalogue of courses and webinars along with personalized recommendations for users, curated to complement their existing knowledge.

(2) Paytm Wealth Academy is an educational platform designed to make financial learning intuitive and self-driven. For the first time, highly customizable courses are being offered, allowing users to start their learning journey from any stage. This will allow new traders to establish a ground-up understanding of financial concepts and also encourage experienced traders to stay updated with advanced trading strategies.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Adda247 buys ed-tech platform StudyIQ Education for Rs 150 crore: Edtech platform firm Adda247 has acquired UPSC-focused ed-tech platform StudyIQ Education for $20 million (150 crores) in a cash and stock deal. Speaking on the acquisition, Adda247 founder and CEO Anil Nagar said it’s a strategic acquisition for Adda247. StudyIQ Education has over 11 million subscribers on Youtube and the platform receives close to 100 million views a month, the company claims. The current acquisition will give Adda247 an edge in the UPSC segment.

Some key points about the acquisition:

(1) By acquiring it, Adda247’s will be able to strengthen its position in the UPSC segment, which has one of the highest ARPUs (average revenue per user) in the test preparation segment.

(2) In November, Adda247 had secured Rs 20 million as part of a Series B funding round led by private equity firm WestBridge Capital. Operated by Metis Eduventures Pvt Ltd, Adda247 had said it’ll use the money to strengthen its technology platform and product, besides funding senior-level hiring.

(3) Founded by Anil Nagar and Saurabh Bansal in 2010, Adda247 had acquired YouTube channel Success Ease for an undisclosed amount in 2019.

About StudyIQ: StudyIQ YouTube channel is India’s largest educational Youtube channel in terms of monthly viewership, while it is the second largest in terms of subscribers’ base after Wifistudy. StudyIQ’s gross revenue for 2020-21 stood at Rs 33 crores, growing at over three times as compared to the previous financial year.

 

2. British-Indian Leena Nair is the new global CEO of Chanel: French fashion house Chanel named Leena Nair, an executive from Unilever, as its new global CEO. Nair’s career at Unilever spanned 30 years, most recently as the chief of human resources and a member of the executive committee. The recruitment of Nair, who rose through the ranks of Unilever having started out as a trainee on the factory floor, comes as the fashion industry is under pressure to show a more inclusive approach. A British national, born in India, Nair is a rare outsider at the helm of the tightly controlled family fashion house, known for its tweed suits, quilted handbags and No. 5 perfume. The 52-year-old follows US businesswoman Maureen Chiquet, who came from a fashion background and was CEO of Chanel for nine years until early 2016. Chanel was founded in 1910 by fashion legend Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel as a hat boutique on rue Cambon in Paris and grew to become a byword for French chic.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton receives knighthood at Windsor Castle: Lewis Hamilton has picked up a new title only days after losing one on the track. The seven-time Formula One champion received a knighthood at Windsor Castle, London. Hamilton gets the honorary title of “Sir” after being knighted by the Prince of Wales for services to motorsports. Three other F1 drivers have been knighted: Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. Hamilton is the first to be awarded while still competing in the sport.

 

2. Simone Biles named Time Magazine’s 2021 Athlete of the Year: Simone Biles was named Time magazine’s 2021 Athlete of the Year. The world’s most decorated gymnast, a four-time Olympic medalist, was hailed for putting her mental health first when she withdrew from four event finals at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the setback, the 24-year-old managed to earn a team all-around silver and a bronze in balance beam at the Tokyo Games. Biles along with hundreds of athletes accused the FBI, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee for failing to stop the abuse. A month after the Tokyo Olympics, Biles gave an emotional testimony at a US senate hearing into former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.

Daily GK Update- 21st Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt laid foundation stone for Maa Umiya Dham Development Project in Gujarat: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has laid the foundation stone of Umiya Mata Dham temple and temple premises under Maa Umiya Dham Development Project at Umiya Campus in Sola in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They will be developed at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore on 74,000 square yards of land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually attended and addressed the foundation stone laying of the project. He stated the Project as an example of the notion of ‘SabkaPrayas’ (Efforts of everyone).

About the Umiya Mata Temple: Umiya Mata Temple is the Temple of Goddess Umiya, who is worshipped as the clan-deity or kuldevi of Kadava Patidars. The temple is located in the centre of Unjha in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. It celebrated its silver jubilee in November 2009. Apart from Temple, a trust running the main temple in Unjha will also construct a 13-storey complex adjacent to the temple in order to provide training and a hostel facility to Patidar youths who are preparing for UPSC and GPSC entrance tests.

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

 

2. Uttarakhand’s Askot Wildlife Sanctuary declared Eco-Sensitive Zone: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), an area of 454.65 square kilometres around the boundary of Askot Wildlife Sanctuary in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand has been declared as the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ). The notified area extends from 0 to 22 km around the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary. The Askot Wildlife Sanctuary was established to protect the endangered flagship species Musk Deer and its habitat. The Askot Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Musk Deer Park.

Note: Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Bhupender Yadav.

 

3. UNESCO recognises Kolkata’s Durga Puja as Intangible Cultural Heritage: UNESCO has added Durga Puja in Kolkata to its 2021 list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, giving international recognition to the biggest religious festival of the 331-year-old city and the state of West Bengal. The UNESCO’s announcement was welcomed by Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as chief minister Mamata Banerjee is widely recognized as the biggest patron of the festival. With the inclusion of Durga Puja, the number of elements in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage from India has increased to 14. As many as 36,946 community Durga Pujas are organised in Bengal. Of these, around 2,500 are held in Kolkata. In recent years, several organisations had urged UNESCO to recognise the festival.

About the Durga Puja: Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in September or October, most notably in Kolkata, in West Bengal of India, but also in other parts of India and amongst the Bengali diaspora. Durga Puja is seen as the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers. The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the Goddess. During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations.

 

4. 7th edition of India International Science festival begins in Panaji: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the seventh edition of the India International Science Festival at Panaji, Goa. The theme of the 4-day science festival is ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – “Celebrating Creativity, Science, Technology and Innovation for a prosperous India”. First India International Science Festival was held in 2015 at IIT Delhi. The main aim of the Science Festival is to bring into use the innovations by the people and develop technology that is affordable to the masses.

 

5. Ravinder Bhakar assumed charge of NFDC, films division and CFSI: CEO of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Ravinder Bhakar has assumed charge of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Films Division, and Children Films Society of India (CFSI). He is a 1999-batch officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS). He has been assigned these charges in addition to his present duties as CEO of the film certification body.

 

6. Good Governance Week 2021: 20th to 25th December: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the Good Governance Week campaign themed “Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur” aimed at showcasing and replicating the best governance practices to the grassroots level. Good Governance Week is being celebrated on 20-25 December as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration. During the week-long event, over 700 Districts Collectors will visit Tehsil and Panchayat Samiti Headquarters in order to provide timely grievance redressal and improve service delivery. It is being celebrated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions in collaboration with various other ministries and departments.

During the campaign, the following events will be held:

(1) December 21st: Deliberation on “Good Governance Initiatives by Ministry of External Affairs”.

(2) December 22nd: Deliberations on “National Workshop on Next Phase of Reforms to reduce compliance burden and Integrated & effective Governance practices by DPIIT”.

(3) December 23rd: A workshop by the Department of Personnel & Training on the theme – “Mission Karmayogi-The Path Ahead”

(4) December 24th: Workshop by Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances on the theme- “Initiative for Increasing efficiency in Decision Making in Central Secretariat”.

(5) December 25th: “Good Governance Day” would be celebrated.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe enters the Sun’s upper atmosphere: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has entered the Sun’s upper atmosphere for, first time in history. In 2018, launched the Parker Solar Probe aims to unravel the mysteries of the Sun by travelling closer to it. After three years of launching, Parker has finally arrived in the solar atmosphere. Parker Solar Probe has flown through the Sun’s upper atmosphere for the first time in history – the corona. The probe sampled particles and magnetic fields there.

The new milestone marks one major step for Parker Solar Probe and one giant leap for solar science. Just as landing on the Moon allowed scientists to understand how it was formed, touching the very stuff the Sun is made of will help scientists uncover critical information about our closest star and its influence on the solar system.

Note: NASA administrator: Bill Nelson; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

 

2. US Fashion Brand “Patagonia” selects Khadi Denim for its Apparels: US-based world’s leading fashion brand, Patagonia, is now using handcrafted Khadi Denim fabric for making Denim apparels. Patagonia, through textile major Arvind Mills, has purchased nearly 30,000 meters of Khadi Denim Fabric worth Rs 1.08 crore from Gujarat. The purchase of Khadi Denim by Patagonia has created additional 1.80 lakh man-hours, i.e. 27,720 man-days of work for Khadi artisans. In July 2017, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) signed an agreement with Arvind mills Limited, Ahmadabad, to trade Khadi Denim products around the world. Since then, Arvind Mills has been purchasing a large quantity of Khadi Denim fabric every year from KVIC-certified Khadi institutions of Gujarat.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Olympics India inducts 148 athletes in list of TOPS athletes for 2024: A total of 148 athletes, including 20 new inductees, in seven Olympic disciplines and six Paralympic disciplines, have been identified for support under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The TOP scheme which is an attempt to provide assistance to India’s top athletes. This scheme was started in 2014. The Mission Olympic Cell approved lists in Cycling, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling as well as Para Sports (Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis). Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Judo, Rowing and Tennis will be taken up in the next meeting later this month.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI comes up with PCA framework for large NBFCs: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a prompt corrective action (PCA) framework for large non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) with effect from October 2022, putting restrictions on para-banks whenever vital financial metrics dip below the prescribed threshold. This brings them almost on a par with banks in terms of supervision and regulatory reach. The PCA framework for NBFCs comes into effect on October 1 next year on the basis of their financial position on or after March 31.

About the PCA framework:

(1) The PCA framework will be applicable to All Deposit-Taking NBFCs (NBFCs-D) and All Non-Deposit Taking NBFCs (NBFCs-ND) in the Middle, Upper, and Top Layers. It will put restrictions on para-banks whenever vital financial metrics dip below the prescribed threshold.

(2) The move will bring NBFCs almost on a par with banks in terms of supervision and regulatory reach. This follows scale-based regulations and revision in non-performing asset norms brought in by the regulator for the sector.

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ADB projected growth forecast for 2021-2022 for India at 9.7%: Asian Development Bank has trimmed its 2021 growth forecast for India to 9.7 per cent from 10 per cent but left the 2022 growth forecast unchanged at 7.5 per cent. The inflation forecast of developing Asia was revised to 2.1 per cent for 2021 and unchanged at 7 per cent for 2022.

Asian Development Outlook Supplement Report 2021-22:

(1) In its Asian Development Outlook Supplement Report of December 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has trimmed the growth forecasts for developing Asia for 2021-2022 to reflect the economic impact and uncertainty caused by the new Omicron COVID -19 variant.

(2) ADB marks the 2021 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth projection of developing Asia to 7 per cent, down from its earlier projection of 7.1 per cent (September 2021), and 2022 growth to 5.3 per cent, down from 5.4 per cent.

 

2. Wholesale inflation surges to 14.23% in November: Producers’ inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has reached an all-time high in the current series at 14.23 per cent in November. This is the eighth successive month of double digits WPI (mainly due to the hardening of prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum and natural gas). Wholesale Price-based Index (WPI) inflation base year is 2011-12. Also, the spike is highest since April 2005.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Bhutan confers PM Modi with its highest civilian award: Bhutan has honoured PM Modi with its highest civilian award, Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo. Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has announced PM Modi’s name for Bhutan’s highest honour. The honour comes as an appreciation for India’s friendly approach to Bhutan under PM Modi’s governance. During the pandemic, India had extended support to the neighbouring country in the form of vaccines, medicines and other emergency services.

According to PMO Bhutan, ‘Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has played an unconditional friendship over the years and has helped immensely during the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Before this, the current Prime Minister of India had been accorded the respective top honours of Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, the Maldives, Palestine and Bahrain.

Note: Bhutan Capital: Thimphu; Bhutan Prime minister: Lotay Tshering; Bhutan Currency: Bhutanese ngultrum.

 

2. Sunil Gavaskar honoured with SJFI Medal 2021: The Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI) has decided to honour former Indian Cricketer and cricket commentator Sunil Manohar Gavaskar with its prestigious ‘SJFI Medal 2021’ at SJFI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Guwahati, Assam. SJFI Medal is the highest honour of SJFI. SJFI was founded on 27th February 1976 at the Eden Gardens, Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal.

Other SJFI Awards:

Award	Winner
SJFI Sportsman of the year 2021	Neeraj Chopra (Javelin)
SJFI Sportswoman of the year 2021	Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)
SJFI Team of the Year 2021	Indian Men’s Hockey team
SJFI Parathletes of the year 2021(Men)	Pramod Bhagat (Badminton) and Sumit Antil (Javelin)
SJFI Parathletes of the year 2021(Women)	Avani Lekhara (rifle shooter)
SJFI Special Recognition Award	Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ)

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Army Chief Naravane takes charge as Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee: Army Chief General M.M. Naravane has assumed the charge as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee that comprises the three service chiefs. The post fell vacant following the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat in the Indian Air Force helicopter crash on December 8. General Naravane has been given the charge, as he is the senior-most among the three service chiefs. IAF Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar had taken over their respective positions on September 30 and November 30. Before the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff, the senior-most among the three service chiefs used to be the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Daily GK Update- 20th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Delhi Police launched e-learning platform “Unnati”: Police Commissioner of Delhi, Rakesh Asthana has launched an e-learning platform ‘Unnati’, under the Delhi Police’s flagship scheme ‘YUVA’ at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Auditorium, New Delhi. Every year, over 1.5 lakh people are arrested by the Delhi Police for various crimes. More than 85 per cent of them are first-timers and only 10-15 per cent are repeat offenders.

About the Unnati:

(1) Unnati is an e-learning and certification initiative by the Delhi Police-South West District to help educate youths and impart skill training to school dropouts from the weaker sections of society.

(2) The courses offered under ‘Unnati’ include digital literacy courses comprising basic computer courses and typing training, preparatory courses for competitive exams and sports courses, among others. The e-learning platform, ‘Unnati’, was launched under the Delhi Police’s flagship scheme ‘YUVA’.

(3) ‘YUVA’ is aimed at helping the youth, especially those from the weaker sections of society, and school dropouts get an education and acquire skills to realise their dreams of a secure future.

 

2. BPCL tie-up with BARC for Green Hydrogen production: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has tied up with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to scale-up Alkaline Electrolyze technology for Green Hydrogen production. This is a first of its kind initiative to support India’s commitment to achieve renewable energy targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electrolyser plants are presently imported and the collaboration is to “scale-up Alkaline Electrolyser technology for Green Hydrogen production”. India has set a target to reach net zero emissions by 2070 and towards that objective it is looking to raise the share of renewables in its energy mix to 50 per cent by 2030 from 38 per cent currently. This is a first of its kind initiative to support the country’s commitment to achieve renewable energy targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Note: BPCL Headquarters:  Mumbai, Maharashtra; BPCL Chairman & Managing Director: Arun Kumar Singh.

 

3. Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana: Maharashtra topped the list: Maharashtra has topped the list of states with the maximum number of beneficiaries under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY), followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. As many as 6,49,560 beneficiaries were recorded in Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu (5,35,615), Gujarat (4,44,741) and Karnataka (3,07,164). In Maharashtra, the beneficiaries have been provided with a total of Rs 409.72 crore under the scheme to new employees of 17,524 establishments.

Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana: The government had launched ABRY to incentivize employment generation in Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) registered establishments during COVID-19 for a period from October 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022. This scheme, being implemented through the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/industries and encourages them to hire more workers.

 

4. Centre grants GI Tag to Bihar’s Mithila Makhana: The Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) under the Central Ministry of Commerce has accepted the petition to rename Bihar Makhana as Mithila Makhana and has also suggested further changes to the brand logo to better reflect its origins. It also suggested amendments in the brand logo to highlight its origins and protect the product’s Geographical Indications (GI) rights. The Sabour based Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) initiated an application on behalf of the Mithilanchal Makhana Utpadak Sangh (MMUS) to name their produce as Mithila Makhana for the welfare of fox nut growers in the Mithila region.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dubai 1st in World to go 100% Paperless: Dubai became the world’s first government to turn 100% paperless, the announcement was made by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It will save around 3 billion Dirham (USD 350 million) and 14-million-man hours. The digitization will provide all the govt. services to customers & reduce paper consumption by more than 336 million papers. All the exceptional digital services can be accessed by the Citizens through the “Dubai Now application’’.

Note: UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi; UAE Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham; UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

 

2. International Human Solidarity Day: 20th December: International Human Solidarity Day is observed globally on 20 December every year to celebrate unity in diversity and raise awareness about the importance of solidarity. According to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, solidarity is among the fundamental values that are essential to international relations. International Human Solidarity Day is:

(1) a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;

(2) a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;

(3) a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;

(4) a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

(5) a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;

History of International Human Solidarity Day: The General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century, and in that regard decided to proclaim 20 December of each year International Human Solidarity Day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. David Warner & Hayley Matthews Bags ICC Player Of The Month For November: Australia opener David Warner and West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews have been voted the ICC Players of the Month for November. Warner, nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award alongside Pakistan’s Abid Ali and New Zealand’s Tim Southee, emerged victorious with the most votes, following his crucial role in Australia’s triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

David Warner: Australian opener David Warner has bagged the ICC Player Of The Month for November. The southpaw has been in scintillating form in recent times. He was the Player of the Tournament as Australia won their maiden T20 World Cup title. He then started the Ashes series with a bang by scoring 94 in the first Test at The Gabba.

Hayley Matthews: West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews secured the Women’s Player of the Month award. David Warner scored 289 runs in seven matches in the tournament at a strike rate of 146.70, out of which 209 runs came from four games in November. He scored 89 against West Indies in a Super 12 game against the West Indies which was his highest score of the tournament.

 

2. BCCI forms committee for differently abled cricketers: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formed a committee for the differently-abled cricketers of the country. Disability cricketers have welcomed the decision of the BCCI to form a Differently Abled Committee for the differently-abled cricketers. On the basis of the recommendation of the Justice Lodha committee, a board of three former disabled cricketers was being awaited for the last several years. The Proposal was approved by BCCI headed by president Sourav Ganguly & secretary Jay Shah.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Axis Bank tied up with Swift to provide digital banking solution: Axis Bank is working with new digital services from provider Swift to provide a comprehensive digital solution to clients. The bank is integrating with different digitization initiatives by government bodies and service providers to extend an end-to-end service to business clients. Axis bank’s B2B (business-to-business) digitization efforts are being supported by Swift, a cooperative of global banks that acts as an intermediary between banks and sets standards.

Note: Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary; Axis Bank Chairperson: Shri Rakesh Makhija.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. LIC launches Dhan Rekha plan savings life insurance plan: The Life Insurance Corporation of India has launched a new non-linked, non-participating, individual savings life insurance plan called Dhan Rekha, it offers special premium rates for female lives. The plan is also allowed for the third gender adding that all benefits under the plan are fully guaranteed. There are special premium rates for female lives. The plan is allowed to Third Gender. All Benefits under the plan are fully guaranteed. The product has various benefits and unique features:

(1) Under this plan, the minimum sum assured is Rs 2 lakh, with no upper restriction on the maximum sum assured.

(2) Depending on the policy term, the minimum age to enter ranges from 90 days to 8 years.

(3) Depending on the policy term, the maximum age at the entrance can range from 35 to 55 years old.

(4) The plan can be purchased both offline and online through agents/intermediaries such as POSPLI/Common Public Service Centres (CPSC-SPV) and the website www.licindia.in.

(5) This plan also includes a loan facility to meet liquidity requirements. Optional riders are available under this plan for an extra price, however, there will be some restrictions, stated LIC.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. DBS Bank India clinches two awards at ET BFSI Excellence Awards 2021: DBS Bank India’s persistent efforts to drive digital transformation for its customers have been awarded at the ET BFSI Excellence Awards 2021. An initiative of The Economic Times, ET BFSI Excellence Awards honours the best innovations & practices implemented by the BFSI industry in a dynamic and competitive environment.

The bank has won two awards:

(1) ‘DBS Rapid (Real-time API)’ solution in the ‘Innovative API/Open Banking model’ category

(2) ‘Intelligent Banking’ in the ‘Best Digital Customer Experience initiative’ category.

About  the award:

(1) DBS Bank India was awarded in the ‘Innovative API/Open Banking model’ category for DBS RAPID. The bank has designed a real-time, digital payments solution for Transport Corporation of India Limited (TCI) – one of India’s largest transportation and logistics players.

(2) This unique solution leverages the UPI, allowing TCI to make real-time advance payments to the transport owners enabling them to withdraw cash from any ATMs. The solution has resulted in an annual savings of 4.5 million hours for TCI and helped transport owners make timely deliveries.

Note: DBS Bank India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; DBS Bank India MD & CEO: Surojit Shome.

 

2. TIME Magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ for 2021: Elon Musk: The prestigious TIME magazine has named Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, as the “2021 Person of the Year. In 2021, US-based electric-vehicle startup Tesla became $1 trillion company as Musk became the world’s richest person with an estimated net worth of around US $255 billion. Musk is also the founder and CEO of rocket company SpaceX, and leads brain-chip start-up Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company.

In 2020:  US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were named as the Person of the Year for 2020 by Time magazine.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. IAF-DRDO flight-tested Helicopter-launched SANT Missile: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed Helicopter launched (air-launched) Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile from the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. For the first time that this was launched from a Russian origin Mi-35 helicopter gunship.

About the missile:

(1) It is equipped with a state-of-the-art Millimetre Wave Seeker which provides high precision strike capability from a safe distance.

(2) It can neutralise targets in a range up to 10 km. SANT missile has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad.

Daily GK Update- 19th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates the Saryu Nahar National Project in UP: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Saryu Nahar National Project in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh. The project will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers, mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were among those present at the project inauguration programme. About the project:

(1) The project has been completed at a cost of over Rs 9,800 crore, out of which more than Rs 4,600 crore was provisioned in the last four years.

(2) The project will cater to the problem of water shortage mainly in eastern UP/ Purvanchal with assured water for irrigation.

(3) The Saryu canal project also involves the interlinking of five rivers — Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini — to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.

                                        

2. Karnataka & UNDP signed LoU as a part of ‘Code-Unnati’: Department of Youth Empowerment & Sports, Government of Karnataka has signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a part of the State-level initiative ‘Code-Unnati’ to improve the access to entrepreneurship and employment opportunities among the youths, including women. The initiative involves United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and is supported by SAP India Lab’s CSR Strategies will be implemented in 4 districts of Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Dakshina Kannada and Raichuru. Fifty colleges, including government pre-university, ITIs, polytechnics and Arts & Science colleges, have already been identified to work with the faculty members and student communities in areas of Training and Capacity Building, Training in the 21st Century & Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship Development, Innovation Challenges, Boot Camps, Corporate Volunteering and Industry Connect.

Note: United Nations Development Programme Founder: 1965; United Nations Development Programme Headquarters: New York, United States; United Nations Development Programme Administrator: Achim Steiner.

 

3. Uttar Pradesh holds the top position in Total Registered EVs: Winter Session of the Parliament, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, informed the Rajya Sabha on the state of Electric Vehicles (EV) in India. As per the data, India has a total of 870,141 registered EVs, with Uttar Pradesh (UP) holding the top spot with 255,700 registered EVs. UP is followed by Delhi (125,347), Karnataka (72,544), Bihar (58,014) and Maharashtra (52,506) in successive positions. The Central Government of India has reduced the Goods & Service Tax (GST) on Electric Vehicles & related products.

(a) GST on EVs:  5% (previously 12%)

(b) GST on EV Chargers & Charging Stations: 5% (previously 18%)

Note: Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath; Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

4. Himachal govt set up General Category Commission: Himachal Pradesh govt announced setting up a Commission for upper castes, on the lines of Madhya Pradesh. The Commission, to be named as ‘Samanya Varg Aayog’, will be formalised through a legislative enactment in three months’ time when the state assembly meets next in February-March 2021 for the budget session of the House. A Scheduled Caste Commission is already in operation in Himachal Pradesh and is chaired by former Shimla MP Virendra Kashyap. As per the 2011 population census, Himachal Pradesh has a population of 68.56 lakhs of which 19.29 lakh, which is 25.22 per cent, are SCs, while the other 4 lakhs are STs, which is 5.71 % and other 9.03 lakh are OBCs, which is 13.52%.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter); Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar; Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launches “Shijian-6 05” satellites for Space Exploration: China successfully launched a new group of satellites Shijian-6 05 into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China for space exploration and new technology tests. The satellites were launched by a Long March-4B rocket which marked the 400th mission of Long March series carrier rockets. The information about the number of satellites has not been specified. As the message reads, they will be used for space exploration and new technology tests.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

2. Indian-American Gautam Raghavan elevated to key White House position: US President Joe Biden has elevated Indian-American political advisor Gautam Raghavan as the head of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. White House Presidential Personnel Office (PPO), also written as Office of Presidential Personnel, is the White House office tasked with vetting new appointees. The PPO is one of the offices most responsible for assessing candidates to work at or for the White House. A first-generation immigrant, Raghavan was born in India, raised in Seattle and graduated from Stanford University. He is the editor of the book ‘West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House’.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. AIBA rebrands itself as IBA, to secure boxing’s Olympic future: The International Boxing Association has changed its acronym from AIBA to IBA, promising to adopt a set of governance reforms so as to keep the sport’s inclusion at the 2028 Olympics. Boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon were all left off the initial list of sports for the 2028 Los Angeles Games and were asked to make changes by the International Olympic Committee.

Note: International Boxing Association Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; International Boxing Association President: Umar Kremlyov; International Boxing Association Founded: 1946.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Baroda launches bob World Wave: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched a solution for digital banking payments, named bob World Wave. Wearable technology is witnessing the rise of tremendous interest across the world and lenders are using this opportunity to adopt the more convenient and cashless digital payments systems. This is an innovative solution, intended to perfectly deliver preventive health actions as well as easier payment transactions. Bank’s on the go wearable payment solution, bob World Wave is designed to ensure convenient and seamless digital payments by our customers. It is anticipated that 10% of the small ticket payments will be made via wearable devices in the next two years.”

bob World Wave: Core features:

(1) The bob World Wave wearable device will allow customers to monitor their Sp02, body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure.

(2) With bob World Wave, the Bank is providing an exclusive 3-months free wellness package along with a personal health coach, doctor teleconsultation and interactive video coaching.

(3) The device will provide contactless payments of up to Rs 5000 in all NFC enabled PoS devices. Customers can do contactless payments above Rs. 5000 using a PIN.

(4) The Bank will also provide a dummy plastic card (with the same card number printed as that of the wearable device along with expiry date and CVV) to enable customers to do e-commerce transactions at ease.

Note: Bank Of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat, India; Bank Of Baroda Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia; Bank Of Baroda MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance starts ‘#Care4Hockey’ Campaign: A leading private general insurer in India, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has started its ‘#Care4Hockey’ Campaign to elevate field Hockey’s recognition in India. The company has partnered with Padma Shri (2020) Rani Rampal, Indian Women’s Hockey Team Captain, who will be the face of the campaign. ‘#Care4Hockey’ is a one of its kind campaign which aims to support the development of Hockey in India from the grass-root level.

About the ‘#Care4Hockey’ campaign: ‘#Care4Hockey’ is a one of its kind campaign from the Company with a goal to support the development of Hockey in India from the grass-root level. As a part of this association, the Company will contribute towards supporting underprivileged children pursuing hockey in terms of coaching, nutrition, and equipment. With this campaign, the company hopes to support in the development of hockey at the grassroots level, thus providing an opportunity for many, in making their mark in the world and become future role models of tomorrow.

Note: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Founded: 2001; Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra; Bajaj Allianz General Insurance CEO & MD: Tapan Singhel.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India successfully tests long-range Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo: India has successfully test-fired a long-range Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo (SMART) off the Balasore coast in Odisha. The weapon system is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy. The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo.

About the system: The system is a next-generation missile-based standoff torpedo delivery system. During the test, the full range capability of the missile was successfully demonstrated. The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo. This was a textbook launch, where the entire trajectory was monitored by the electro-optic telemetry system, various range radars including the downrange instrumentation and downrange ships. The missile carried a torpedo, parachute delivery system and release mechanisms.

 

2. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Swarnim Vijay Parv: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated Swarnim Vijay Parv commemorating 50 years of India’s victory in the 1971 war. He inaugurates ‘Wall of Fame -1971 Indo-Pak War’ at the inaugural ceremony. Swarnim Vijay Parv is an event commemorating the valour & professionalism of the Armed Forces and their contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh in the Indo-Pak 1971 war, at India Gate Lawns in New Delhi on December 12, 2021. The event marks the culmination of year-long celebrations of 50 years of India’s victory in 1971. The event will be opened to the public after the inauguration. Many dignitaries, including those from Bangladesh, will be present.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Gothic novel author Anne Rice passes away: American gothic-fiction writer Anne Rice, best known for The Vampire Chronicles novel series, passed away. Anne Rice’s debut novel, published in 1976, Interview with the Vampire revolves around a vampire named Louis de Pointe du Lac, who narrates the story of his life to a reporter. Her other works: Pandora, Violin, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, The Witching Hour etc.