Daily GK Update- 31st Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Tamil Nadu CM launched ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has launched the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme to promote the use of cloth bags by the public and discourage the use of plastic bags. This awareness campaign on using ‘yellow’ cloth bag or ‘manjapai’ as it is called in Tamil, is aimed at encouraging the people to return to the use of this eco-friendly bag and discard the plastic bags. The state government had enforced a ban on the production, use, storage, distribution, transportation or sale of 14 types of plastics with effect from January 1, 2019.

A government committee has identified the single-use plastic (SUP) items to be banned based on an index of their utility and environmental impact. It has proposed a three-stage ban:

(1) The first category of SUP items proposed to be phased out are plastic sticks used in balloons, flags, candy, ice cream and earbuds, and thermocol that is used in decorations.

(2) The second category proposed to be banned from July 1, 2022, includes items such as plates, cups, glasses and cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays; wrapping and packing films used in sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packets; stirrers and plastic banners that are less than 100 microns in thickness.

(3) The third category of prohibition is for non-woven bags below 240 microns in thickness. This is proposed to start from September next year.

 

2. Rajnath Singh inaugurates Brahmos missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has laid the foundation stone of the BrahMos Aerospace cruise missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow. He also laid the foundation of DRDO Defence Technology and Test Centre in Lucknow. BrahMos Project will help in creating 5,500 fresh job opportunities.

About the BrahMos Missile:

(1) BrahMos is a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and the NPOM of Russia. BrahMos missile derives its name from the Brahmaputra river of India and the Moskva river of Russia.

(2) All the three wings of the Indian defence forces have already inducted the BrahMos advanced weapon system.

(3) Recently, India successfully test-fired the air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the integrated test range of Chandipur.

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

 

3. For Now, Covaxin Likely to Be Only Covid Vaccine Available for Children of 15-18 Years: Report: Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is likely to be the only Covid-19 vaccine available, for now, for children in the age group of 15-18 years, who will be inoculated from January 3, official sources said. Also, healthcare and frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities would be administered the third dose of the same vaccine they had been given before. The decisions came amid rising Covid cases linked to the Omicron variant of the virus. The precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as well.

 

4. Puducherry LG Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan inaugurates River Festival 2021: Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan inaugurated the River Festival 2021 at the villyanur Thirukanchi Temple. As a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit mahotsav, to celebrate India ‘s 75th year of independence, the Puducherry Tourism Department organised the Sankaraparani River Festival – 2021 in villianur commune – thirukanchi Gangai varaha Nadeeswarar temple. To create awareness on river rejuvenation and rainwater harvesting a cleaning camp was also organised along with sapling planting program at the Sankarabharani worship event.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian-origin judge appointed to South Africa’s highest judicial bench: Indian origin, Narandran ‘Jody’ Kollapen has been appointed to South Africa’s highest judicial bench, the Constitutional Court. The appointment of 64-year-old Kollapen & Rammaka Steven Mathopo as the latest additions to the Constitutional Court after a lengthy process of public interviews. Both will take office from January 1, 2022. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Rammaka Steven Mathopo and Kollapen to the Constitutional Court after lengthy public interviews.

About the Kollapen: Kollapen started his legal practice in 1982 and used to take up public interest cases. The Presidency said that the new appointees have an illustrious career in the judiciary and the legal profession. After becoming the National Director of Lawyers for Human Rights in 1995, he became the Commissioner of the South African Human rights Commission in 1997 and was a part of the Commission till 2009. Since then, Kollapen has worked with numerous NGOs and organizations and has spoken about Human Rights in universities like Harvard and also at the United Nations.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021: Himachal Pradesh beats Tamil Nadu: Himachal Pradesh beat Tamil Nadu by 11 runs (VJD Method) in the final to win their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Batting first, Tamil Nadu posted a challenging total of 314 in 49.4 overs. In reply, Himachal were 299 for 4 in 47.3 overs when bad light stopped play and the chasing side were declared winners via the VJD (V Jayadevan rule) method.

Shubham Arora’s unbeaten century and his 148-run stand with Amit Kumar (74) for the fourth wicket powered Himachal Pradesh to their first-ever Indian domestic title win, Vijay Hazare trophy 2021-22 final.

 

2. Pankaj Advani won National Billiards Title 2021: Pankaj Advani has defended his National Billiards Title by winning his 11th tournament, after defeating his PSPB teammate Dhruv Sitwala in a 5-2 game final that was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) team in the National Billiards Championship. The 88th National Billiards and Snooker Championships 2021, organised by Cue Sports India at Bhopal, MP.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Tokenisation RBI: Extends card tokenisation deadline till June 2022: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the card-on-file (CoF) tokenization deadline by 6 months i.e., to June 30, 2022. Earlier the deadline was fixed till December 31, 2021. In March 2020, RBI had issued guidelines for the regulation of payment aggregators and payment gateways, prohibiting payment aggregators and merchants to store customer card credentials within their database or server from 30 June 2021. In September 2021, RBI extended the scope of tokenization from device-based tokenization to CoF tokenization services and barred merchants from storing actual card data while online transactions. RBI has fixed the deadline for card tokenization to January 1, 2022.

 

2. Paytm Payments Bank tie-up with MoneyGram to enable international fund transfer: Paytm Payments Bank has partnered with MoneyGram, a peer-to-peer remittance company to enable international fund transfer directly to Paytm Wallet. Under the Partnership, MoneyGram users abroad can now transfer money to any full Know Your Customer (KYC)-compliant Paytm wallet. MoneyGram transactions in India received digitally stands at nearly 50 per cent of all transactions received in the country. This is MoneyGram’s first mobile wallet partnership in India.

About the MoneyGram: MoneyGram transactions in India received digitally currently represent nearly 50 per cent of all transactions received in the country. The number of transactions sent directly to bank accounts is up about six times from just under 10 per cent two short years ago.

Note: Paytm Payments Bank Founded: 2015; Paytm Payments Bank Headquarters: Noida, UP; Paytm Payments Bank Founder & CEO:  Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SIDBI signs MoU to develop MSME ecosystem in West Bengal: SIDBI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of West Bengal to develop the MSME ecosystem in the state, a SIDBI official said. As per the MoU a project management unit (PMU) of SIDBI will work with the state government. The PMU will support the West Bengal government in making necessary interventions for focused engagement of SIDBI with the objective of facilitating development of the MSME ecosystem.

 

2. Kamlesh Gandhi named new Co-Chairman of FIDC: Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) has announced fresh appointments to its board of directors. Kamlesh Gandhi, CMD of MAS Financial Services has been appointed as Co-Chairman, FIDC in addition to Umesh Revankar, CEO and MD of Shriram Transport Finance Group. Sanjay Chamria has resigned as the Co-Chairman and Director, FIDC.

Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), which is a representative body of asset and loan financing NBFCs, has announced fresh appointments to its board of directors. Dinanath Dubhashi, MD and CEO, L&T Finance Holdings has been appointed as an additional Director of FIDC. The appointments were approved at a board meeting of FIDC on December 21.

Note: FIDC was formed in 2004; FIDC is Headquartered in Mumbai.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Federal Bank & Vayana Network won the ‘Most Effective Bank-Fintech Partnership’ award: Vayana Network, one of India’s largest trade finance platforms, and Federal Bank, a leading Private Sector Bank have been awarded the ‘Most Effective Bank-Fintech Partnership: Agile and Adaptable’ at the IBSi-Global Fintech Innovation Awards 2021. The award was conferred in recognition of Vayana Network’s partnership with Federal Bank, for automating and simplifying Supply Chain Finance. This year, the Innovation Awards attracted global attention with over 190 participants from 48 countries.

About the partnership: Federal Bank partnered with Vayana Network to provide a seamless onboarding experience to dealers through their unique ‘Full Stack’ tech infrastructure – that facilitates end to end digital solution including client supply chain account set up, monitoring, digital authentication of documents on the transaction platform and notification to customers at every step.

Note: Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala; Federal Bank MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan; Federal Bank Tagline: Your Perfect Banking Partner.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. ASIGMA: Indian Army launched in-house messaging app: Indian Army has launched a contemporary messaging application named ‘ASIGMA’ (Army Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application). It is a new generation web-based application developed entirely in-house by a team of officers of the Corps of Signals of the Army. It works as an alternative to Army Wide Area Network (AWAN) messaging application which has been in service for the past 15 years. The application has been sent out on Army-owned hardware and will cater to the army from this time forward, lending itself to lifetime support with future upgrades.

Why Indian Army launch this app?

The messaging application is designed to meet all futuristic requirements for the army and boasts of an enhanced user experience. It comes with a variety of contemporary features including multi-level security, dynamic global address book, message prioritisation, and tracking, and options to meet the requirements of the army at present. This future-ready messaging application will meet the real-time data transfer and messaging requirements of the Army, especially in the backdrop of the current geopolitical security environment. ASIGMA has been developed in line with the Government of India’s, Make in India initiative.

Note: Chief of the Army Staff: Manoj Mukund Naravane.

 

2. Indian Navy decommissioned INS Khukri after 32 years: INS Khukri (Pennant number 49), the first indigenously built Missile Corvette, was decommissioned after 32 years of service at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The warship was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MSD) and commissioned on 23rd August 1989 and had been part of both the Western and Eastern Fleets. The ship was commissioned in Mumbai by Shri Krishna Chandra Pant, the then Raksha Mantri and Mrs Sudha Mulla, wife of late Capt Mahendra Nath Mulla. Commander (now Retired Vice Admiral) Sanjeev Bhasin was the first Commanding Officer.

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. South African campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu passes away: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran of South Africa`s struggle against white minority rule, has died aged 90. He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his non-violent opposition to apartheid. A decade later, he witnessed the ends of that regime and he chaired a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up to unearth atrocities committed during those dark days.

 

2. Former England Test Captain Ray Illingworth passes away: Former England captain, Ray Illingworth has passed away. He played 61 Tests for England between 1958 and 1973 and captained the country 31 times, winning 12 matches and an Ashes series in Australia in 1970. He was an all-rounder who scored 1,836 Test runs at an average of 23.24 and claimed 122 wickets with his off-spin bowling at 31.20. He was chairman of the England selectors between 1993 and 1996 and coached the team in 1995-96.

Daily GK Update- 30th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 3 big announcement by PM Modi for Covid-19 vaccine: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the Covid-19 vaccine for children and booster doses for Health workers and senior citizens, amid the Omicron scare. During his address to nation, the Prime Minister urged the people to be cautious while celebrating as coronavirus cases are rising in the country due to highly infectious variant, Omicron. Therefore, from the point of view of precaution, the government has decided that precaution dose of vaccine will also be started for healthcare and frontline workers. It will be started from January 10.

Key points of the address:

(1) Children between the age group of 15 to 18 years will be getting the Covid vaccine from January 3, 2022.

(2) Senior citizens with comorbidities will receive booster doses from January 10, 2022. Citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities will also have the option of a precautionary dose of the vaccine on the advice of their doctor.

(3) Healthcare workers are spending many hours of their day tending to COVID-19 patients even today. So, healthcare and frontline workers will be given another ‘precaution dose’ [booster shot] starting from January 10.”

 

2. Docprime tech launched India’s first ABDM integrated Health Locker: Docprime tech has launched India’s first health locker integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). ABDM was launched in August 2020 for developing an integrated digital health infrastructure in the country. ABDM integrated Health Locker will provide users a digital and self-consented health data management system without any charges. It will store and manage health records electronically.

About the Health Locker:

(1) Users can create digital Health IDs for themselves and for their family members on ABDM integrated Health Locker.

(2) Health Locker received the ABDM Sandbox approval for activating their ABDM integrated Health Locker.

(3) The users can also fetch and store their Cowin vaccination certificates through the ABDM integrated Health Locker.

 

3. Tamil Nadu Govt launched monitoring system “CM Dashboard Tamil Nadu 360”: Tamil Nadu government has launched the Chief Minister (CM) Dashboard monitoring system, “CM Dashboard Tamil Nadu 360” in Chennai. It will enable CM to track all welfare schemes, including the status of their implementation, fund allocation, and the number of beneficiaries along with updates on the storage of water in dams and rainfall patterns.

About the dashboard:

(1) This dashboard will provide real-time information on all State government departments, storage levels of key reservoirs, rainfall patterns, price mesh, which monitors the price stability over 25 foodgrains/vegetables/fruits, and it will provide projections on possible increases in price, enabling government intervention.

(2) Apart from this, the first batch of dashboards will also cover current employment trends to indicate the status of the economy, civil supplies, Chief Minister’s Helpline, and status of CM in Your Constituency petitions, health-related information, daily police reports of major crimes in the State with reference to districts that require attention, housing progress for the urban and rural poor and progress of water supply schemes, particularly tap connections to all households.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief minister: M. K. Stalin; Tamil Nadu Governor: R. N. Ravi.

 

4. Centre extends Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till March 2022: Terming it as a pro-people move, the Centre announced it was extending the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for another four months i.e., from December 2021 till March 2022 as Phase 5 of the scheme started during the lockdown last year. The scheme envisages five kg grain per person per month free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) (Antyodaya Anna Yojana & Priority Households), including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Japan launches Inmarsat-6 F1 Communications Satellite: Japan has launched Inmarsat-6 F1, a communication satellite, through a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA204 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center that will enter geostationary orbit, about 22,240 miles (35,790 kilometres) above the earth. It is developed by the London-based company Inmarsat as a part of its next-generation satellite broadband service. The satellite is 12,060-pound (5,470 kilograms) and is the first of two ‘I-6’ spacecraft.

Key Points:

(1) Designated H-IIAF45, Inmarsat-6 F1 launch is Japan’s third orbital flight of 2021 and H-IIA’s second mission of the year, marking the 45th flight of the H-IIA vehicle overall.

(2) It is dual-payload satellite featuring both L-band (ELERA) and Ka-band (Global Xpress).

(3) It is the world’s largest and most sophisticated commercial communications satellite ever launched.

(4) H-IIA is Japan’s longest-serving liquid-fueled rocket (since 2001) and currently largest rocket operated by MHI for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Note: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Founded: 1 October 2003; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Headquarters: Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh announced retirement from cricket: Senior Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh has announced retirement from all forms of cricket. He was the 1st Indian Cricketer to take Hat-trick wickets in Test Cricket. He took 417 wickets in 103 Tests and is the 4th highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket. He made his debut to the national cricket team, during an ODI (One Day International) against New Zealand at Sharjah in 1998 and lastly represented India in 2016 during a T20 against the UAE at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

 

2. Aanchal Thakur won bronze medal at FIS Alpine Skiing Competition 2021: Indian skier Aanchal Thakur has bagged a bronze medal at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Skiing Competition in Montenegro. She finished 3rd with an overall timing of 1:54:30. With this, Aanchal has become the first Indian Ski athlete to win two medals at the international level. She has previously won the bronze medal in the 2018 FIS Alpine 3200 Cup held in Turkey Georgia Epiphaniouwon silver medal and was just 2 seconds ahead of Anchal. Croatia’s Dora Ljutic (1:50.61) won the gold medal while Cyprus skier Georgia Epiphaniou (1:52.71) clinched silver.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Oriental Insurance categorised as public shareholder in Axis Bank: Axis Bank has announced the approval to reclassify Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL) from promoter category to public category shareholder in the bank. In October, applications were made to BSE and NSE for reclassification of The New Oriental Insurance Co to the public category from the promoter category. At present, OICL holds a 0.16 per cent stake in Axis Bank. Currently, BSE & NSE gave approval for the reclassification of New Oriental Insurance Company to the public category from the promoter category.

Note: Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary; Axis Bank Chairperson: Rakesh Makhija; Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi.

 

2. RBL Bank: Rajeev Ahuja appointed new MD: The RBL Bank board has appointed Rajeev Ahuja, who’s currently working as the Executive Director at the bank, as interim Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the bank with immediate effect, subject to the regulatory and other approvals. The board of directors at its meeting has accepted the request of Vishwavir Ahuja, Managing Director and CEO of the bank, to proceed on leave with immediate effect.

Note: RBL Bank Founded: 1943; RBL Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; RBL Bank CEO & MD: Vishwavir Ahuja; RBL Bank Tagline: Apno Ka Bank.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Mohammed Ben Sulayem elected FIA president: Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates has been elected successor to Jean Todt as the first non-European president of motorsport’s world governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The FIA is the governing body for Formula One, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance and Formula E among other series. The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver was standing against British lawyer Graham Stoker, who has been Todt’s deputy president for the sport since 2009.

Note: International Automobile Federation Headquarters location: Paris, France; International Automobile Federation Founded: 20 June 1904.

 

2. IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance appoints HO Suri as MD & CEO: IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance has announced the appointment of HO Suri as its new managing director and chief executive officer. He was the financial advisor, head, internal audit & legal, at the company and the new position took effect from October 1. IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company Limited is a 51:49 joint venture between IFFCO and Japan’s Tokio Marine Group. The firm offers retail products like motor, health, travel, home and personal accident insurance and corporate insurance products.

About the HO Suri: HO Suri began his professional journey in 1982 with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO). A chartered accountant by profession, he is one of the founder-members of IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company in 2000.

Note: IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance CEO: Anamika Roy Rashtrawar (27 Mar 2020–); IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Headquarters: Gurugram; IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Founded: 2000.

 

AWARDS AND HNOURS

 

1. O.P. Jindal Global University won “Digital Innovation of the Year” award: O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has won the ‘Digital Innovation of the Year Award’ in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Awards 2021 for creating a free, cloud-based application to help schools and universities manage data. JGU was the only Indian University to be shortlisted for the “Digital Innovation of the Year”. The university was awarded under the ‘Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year category for its transformative work in the last 2 years. This award is also a reflection of JGU’s commitment to ensure continued education for its students during the ongoing pandemic. In March 2020, we were faced with one of the most unprecedented crises of our time.

Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2021 winners:

 

Category	Winner
Leadership and Management Team of the Year	Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (India)
Workplace of the Year	Saint Joseph University of Beirut (Lebanon)
International Strategy of the Year	Hangzhou Dianzi University of Hong Kong
Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year	National University of Singapore
THE Datapoints Social Impact Award	Institute Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (Indonesia)
THE Datapoints Improved Performance Award	University Utara (Malaysia)
Excellence and Innovation in the Arts	Hong Kong Baptist University
Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year	O.P. Jindal Global University (India)
Outstanding Support for Students	University Teknologi Petronas (Malaysia)
Student Recruitment Campaign of the Year	Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Vietnam)

 

2. Anukrti Upadhyay’s Kintsugi wins the Sushila Devi Award 2021: Anukrti Upadhyay has won the Sushila Devi Award 2021 for the Best Book of Fiction for her novel, Kintsugi, which was published by the Fourth Estate imprint. The Ratanlal Foundation and the organizing Committee of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival announced the winner, for this notable award for fiction written by a woman author and published in 2020. This prize has been instituted by the Shri Ratanlal Foundation.

About the novel: Kintsugi — named after the ancient Japanese art of mending broken objects with gold — is a novel about young women breaching boundaries, overcoming trauma, and challenging the social order. And about men surprised by women who are unconventional, unafraid and independent. It is the story of Meena, rebellious and unexamined, and Yuri, as complex as Meena is naive. Of Hajime, an outsider to two cultures, and Prakash, unable to see beyond his limited horizons.

Daily GK Update- 29th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Atal Innovation Mission Unveils Vernacular Innovation Programme: Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission has unveiled Vernacular Innovation Programme, which will enable innovators and entrepreneurs in India to have access to the innovation ecosystem in 22 scheduled languages by the Centre. This will help in overcoming the barriers of language & empower innovators. To get the program rolling, AIM NITI Aayog is launching a train-the-trainer program where it will collaborate with the Design Department of IIT Delhi to coach the VTF in design thinking and entrepreneurship and the adaptation of these subjects in the 22 languages and cultures. Furthermore, industry mentors have joined hands to lend design thinking expertise, and CSR sponsors have agreed to generously support the program. Upon training the task force over the period of December 2021 to April 2022, the ecosystem will be opened to vernacular innovators.

 

2. Maharashtra launched Chalo mobile app & smart card for bus travel: Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister, Aaditya Thackeray has launched the Chalo mobile application (app) and Chalo smart cards to facilitate digital and advance purchase of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus tickets. He also launched the NCMC compliant smart card of BEST as well as new fare schemes for the passengers, one that provided 10 trips at Rs 70 and another called ‘Flexifare’.

About the app: Chalo mobile app will allow passengers to buy online bus tickets and have access to bus passes through an e-wallet. A contract worth Rs 85 crore has been given for the maintenance of the Chalo mobile application for six years.

Note: Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai; Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Maharashtra Chief minister: Uddhav Thackeray.

 

3. NPCI partners with Udemy Business to encourage skill employees: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has signed a partnership agreement with Udemy Business, to encourage innovative learning and skill development for employees of NPCI. The 3-year partnership with Udemy Business will offer courses on in-demand skills such as tech, domain, behavioural, and leadership skills to all NPCI employees. Through the mission ‘Talent Development for All’ of NPCI, it provides capacity-building programmes in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), etc. Under its vision of ‘Talent Development for All’, NPCI is betting big on the capability building of its employees and has increased its budget for Learning & Development (L&D) by seven times. The three-year association with Udemy Business will offer courses on in-demand skills such as tech, domain, behavioural, and leadership skills to all NPCI employees, who will now be able to access challenging assignments to enable experiential learning.

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

 

4. Former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Nirmal Chander Vij releases his new book: A new book by former Indian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Nirmal Chander Vij (ret) claims to offer a “full picture” of the conflicts in Jammu and Kashmir and the way forward. The book published by HarperCollins India, the book of General Vij, The riddle of “Kashmir: the quest for peace in a troubled land”. In the book, General Vij argues that the conflicts in Jammu and Kashmir are “symptomatic of Indo-Pakistani rivalry” after the partition, and contextualizes the issue by beginning the book with a summary of the history of the region. General Vij had been Director General of Military Operations during the Kargil War. After his retirement in 2005, he was founding vice president of the National Disaster Management Authority and director of the think tank Vivekananda India Foundation.

 

5. M Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled “The Turnover Wizard – Saviour Of Thousands”: Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu has released the book titled “The Turnover Wizard – Saviour Of Thousands”, an autobiography of Arup Roy Choudhury, the former Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC Limited and NBCC (India) Limited. The book consolidates Arup Roy Choudhury’s learnings from life and brings out the management lesson from his life. The book is also endorsed by E Sreedharan, The Metro Man of India.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NASA’s launched world’s largest telescope named James Webb Space: NASA’s $10 billion telescopes James Webb Space Telescope designed to capture the first glimpse of the universe just shortly after the Big Bang is targeted for blastoff from the European Space Agency’s Kourou, French Guiana. The revolutionary world’s first-of-its-kind space-science observatory of the next decade will capture the earliest galaxies believed to have formed during the early universe’s formation. The new telescope will help scientists to probe the structures and origins of our universe and our place in it.

Dimensions of the telescope: The telescope is unequalled in size and complexity. Its mirror measures 6.5 metres (21 feet) in diameter — three times the size of the Hubble’s mirror — and is made of 18 hexagonal sections. It is so large that it had to be folded to fit into the rocket.

Key Facts:

(1) Webb will be the premier space observatory for astronomers worldwide to extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope.

(2) It will be the largest telescope ever placed in space and 100 times more powerful than Hubble.

(3) The telescope will peer back in time over 13.5 billion years to see the first galaxies born after the Big Bang.

(4) It will be the biggest telescope ever launched into space with a total mass of 6200 kg.

(5) Webb can see water vapour in extrasolar planet atmospheres.

(6) They detect the heat signature of a bumblebee at the distance of the moon and can see details of the size of a US penny at the distance of about 24 miles (40 km).

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Asian Champions Trophy: India win bronze, Korea lift title: India defeated Pakistan 4-3 to secure the bronze medal, while Korea defeated Japan 4-2 to emerge Asian Champions Trophy men’s hockey tournament held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The five-nation tournament came to an end with two matches being played on the last day of the game. Kanta Tanaka of Japan was declared the best player of the tournament while Suraj Karkera of India was adjudged the best goalkeeper. Jang Jonghyun of Korea was the top scorer with 10 goals in the tournament.

 

2. SAFF U 19 Women’s Championship: Bangladesh defeat India: Bangladesh women team has won the SAFF U 19 Women’s Championship by defeating India in the finals. Shaheda Akter Ripa of Bangladesh scored the maximum number of goals in the tournament. She received the ‘most valuable player’ award. The 2021 SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship was the 2nd edition of the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship. The tournament was organized from 11 to 22 December 2021 at BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka. Five countries have participated in the 2021 SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship. Pakistan Football Federation was suspended by FIFA in April 2021 so it didn’t participate in this competition.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. CSB Bank has been impaneled as Agency Bank by RBI: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the empanelment of CSB Bank, a private sector lender as an ‘Agency Bank’. Through this appointment, the CSB Bank will undertake the general banking business of the central and state governments under the guidelines set by the RBI. As an Agency bank, CSB Bank will work with different state governments and central government departments for businesses such as tax collections, pension payments, collection of stamp duty, etc.

About the CSB Bank: CSB Bank Limited, formerly Catholic Syrian Bank Limited, is an Indian private sector bank with its headquarters at Thrissur, Kerala, India. The bank has a network of over 450 branches and more than 319 ATMs across India.

Note: CSB Bank Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala; CSB Bank CEO: C.VR. Rajendran; CSB Bank Founded: 26 November 1920, Thrissur.

 

2. Central Bank of India signed a co-lending agreement with U GRO Capital: Central Bank of India and U GRO Capital has signed a co-lending agreement and plans to disburse up to Rs 1,000 crore to medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) over the next 12 months. The disbursement will be to U GRO Capital’s varied MSME segments under its programs – Pratham, Sanjeevani, Saathi, GRO MSME and machinery financing. Central Bank of India will provide co-lending support through the GRO-Xstream platform with the loans originated by U GRO Capital’s distribution network. The arrangement will ensure the availability of credit to MSMEs at an affordable cost.

Note: Central Bank of India Founded: 21 December 1911; Central Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Central Bank of India MD & CEO: Matam Venkata Rao.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. IOCL acquired 4.93% stake in Indian Gas Exchange: Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has announced that it has acquired a 4.93 per cent equity share in Indian Gas Exchange Limited – the country’s first automated national level gas exchange. The Board of Indian Oil at its meeting held on 20 December 2021 has accorded approval for the acquisition of 36,93,750 equity shares of the face value of Rs. 10/- each equivalent to 4.93 per cent of the share capital in Indian Gas Exchange Limited (IGX).

The acquisition of an equity stake in IGX is a strategic opportunity for the country’s top oil refiner to become part of India’s natural gas market. IGX is a subsidiary of the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). Indian Gas Exchange is the country’s first automated national level gas exchange, that ensures transparent price discovery in natural gas and facilitates the growth of natural gas in India’s energy basket.

Note: Indian Oil Corporation Limited Chairperson: Shrikant Madhav Vaidya; Indian Oil Corporation Limited Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Oil Corporation Limited Founded: 30 June 1959.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Padma Bhusan Anil Prakash Joshi wins Mother Teresa Memorial Award: Environmentalist Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, who was conferred upon the Padma Bhushan this year, has been awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice 2021. Vidyut Mohan, the winner of the Earth shot Prize, and Ridhima Pandey, a young environmental activist from Uttarakhand, were also the recipients of the award. The Harmony Foundation identifies a theme each year for the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards and felicitates individuals and organisations who work in the realm of augmenting environmental sustainability. The awardees were felicitated by Dr Abraham Mathai, the founder chairman of the foundation.

Why were these 3 awarded?

(1) Dr Joshi was given the award for his efforts as a changemaker in the environmental sustainability sector by impacting over 10,000 villages in the Himalayan region through his Himalayan Environmental Studies & Conservation Organisation.

(2) Vidyut was acknowledged for his seminal and ingenious efforts in combating air pollution through his social enterprise Takachar.

(3) Ridhima, on the other hand, received the award for her spectacular courage, and indomitable spirit as a youth environmental activist who has galvanized national participation to stop climate change.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. IAF deployed the first S-400 air defence system in Punjab: Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed the first squadron of the S-400 air defence missile system in the western Punjab sector which will take care of aerial threats from Pakistan and China. The S-400 air defence system was contracted for by India from Russia in a deal worth around Rs 35,000 crores and five squadrons would be provided to India for tackling air threats from up to 400 km.

About the S-400 Defence missile system:

(1) The surface-to-air missile system would give India an edge in South Asian skies as they would be able to take out enemy aircraft and cruise missiles from a 400 km distance.

(2) The S-400 Triumf air defence system is equipped with four different missiles which can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km and the short-range 40 km.

Note: Indian Airforce founded: 8 October 1932; Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Airforce Chief of Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Rogers passes away: Pritzker Prize-Winning British-Italian Architect, Richard Rogers has passed away at his residence in London, United Kingdom. He received the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture, in 2007. He received the Knight Bachelor in 1991 and he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was the architect of the new World Trade Center (3 World Trade Center) in New York City, United States, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France and the Millennium Dome in London, UK.

 

2. Malayalam Director KS Sethumadhavan passes away: Legendary Malayalam filmmaker KS Sethumadhavan has passed away at the age of 90 years. He directed over 60 movies in five languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi during his career. He directed popular movies such as Odayil Ninnu, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Oppol, Aranazhikaneeram, Achanum Bappayum, etc. He has won 10 National Film Awards, 9 Kerala State Awards among others.

Daily GK Update- 28th Dec, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Jharkhand assembly passes Bill to prevent mob violence, lynching: Jharkhand Assembly has passed the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021, which aims at providing “effective protection” of constitutional rights and the prevention of mob violence in the state. After including one amendment, the Bill was passed and sent to the Governor for his assent. Once notified, Jharkhand will become the fourth state to bring in such a law after West Bengal, Rajasthan and Manipur. About the bill:

(1) The bill provides a jail term of three years to life imprisonment and fines of up to ₹25 lakh against those involved in mob lynching leading to “injury or death”.

(2) The Bill defines lynching as “any act or series of acts of violence or death or aiding, abetting or attempting an act of violence or death, whether spontaneous or planned, by a mob on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation, political affiliation, ethnicity or any other ground”.

(3) In case of a lynching incident leading to the victim suffering hurt, the convicts will be punished with imprisonment up to 3 years and a fine between ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh.

Note: Chief Minister of Jharkhand: Hemant Soren; Governor: Ramesh Bais.

 

2. Odisha CM inaugurated Odisha’s longest bridge ‘T-Setu’ in Cuttack: Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the state’s longest bridge, ‘T-Setu’, built over the Mahanadi River in Cuttack District, Odisha. The bridge in the shape of the English alphabet ‘T’ was constructed at a cost of Rs 111 crore. The 4-km-long bridge connecting Gopinathpur in Badamba, Baideswar in Banki to Singhanath Pitha in Cuttack, will cut the distance between Badamba and Banki Baideshwar by almost 45 km. Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone T-setu on February 28, 2014. But, due to some technical issues, construction work was delayed and started in 2018. The bridge will facilitate communication for some five-lakh people from nearby localities. It will also improve agriculture, business and tourism activities in the area. It will benefit devotees, who are visiting Baba Singhanath’s Bali Makar Jatra in Badamba block.

Note: Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal; Odisha Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik.

 

3. NITI Aayog tie-up with UN WFP to diversify food basket: NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Intent with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The partnership focuses on mainstreaming millets and supporting India in taking lead globally in knowledge exchange using the opportunity of 2023 as an International Year of Millets. The government of India observed 2018 as a year of millets. Key Points:

(1) The partnership between NITI Aayog and UN WEP focuses to mainstream the millets and supporting India in taking a lead internationally in knowledge exchange amid the recognition of 2023 as an International Year of Millets.

(2) This partnership also aims to build resilient livelihoods for small farmers and adaptation capacities towards climate change as well as transforming food systems.

(3) The Statement of Intent focuses on strategic and technical collaboration between both parties, in order to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture for enhanced food & nutrition security across India.

Note: NITI Aayog Formed: 1 January 2015; NITI Aayog Headquarters: New Delhi; NITI Aayog Chairperson: Narendra Modi; NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson: Rajiv Kumar; NITI Aayog CEO: Amitabh Kant;

United Nations World Food Programme Founded: 1961; United Nations World Food Programme Headquarters: Rome, Italy; United Nations World Food Programme Executive Director: David Beasley.

 

4. World Sangeet Tansen festival organized in Madhya Pradesh: In Madhya Pradesh, the 97th edition of the World Sangeet Tansen festival started in Gwalior. A five-day World Sangeet Tansen festival starts from December 25 to December 30 in the city. The stage of the program has been constructed on the theme of the Siddhanath temple situated in Omkareshwar. Many artists not only from India but also from abroad will participate in the music festival. The first seven concerts were held at the stage prepared at the mausoleum of Tansen and the tomb of Mohammad Ghaus. The eighth concert will be held on the banks of the Jhilmil river, in Behat (Birthplace of Tansen) on December 30. The last brief concert will be held at Gwalior Fort on the same day.

Note: Madhya Pradesh Capital: Bhopal; Madhya Pradesh Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel; Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India replace the UK to be 3rd top country hosting unicorns: Adding 33 “unicorns” in a single year has helped India displace the United Kingdom to be third in the list of countries that are home to such enterprises valued at over $1 billion each. The US and China, who occupy the first two ranks, are way ahead, according to the data compiled by Hurun Research Institute. US and China are home to 74 per cent of the unicorn universe. The US added 254 unicorns and now totals 487 companies in the coveted list, while China added 74 to take its tally to 301 start-ups having a valuation of over $1 billion. The UK added only 15 unicorns to take its total to 39, and hence got displaced by India.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Anahat Singh becomes first Indian girl to win Jr Squash Open in US: Indian teenager Anahat Singh has scripted history by winning the U-15 girls category of the prestigious Junior US Open Squash tournament in Philadelphia. The 13-year-old girl from Delhi overcame powerhouse Egypt’s Jayda Marei in the final match 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 played at the Arlen Spectre Centre. More than 850 squash junior players, representing 41 countries, participated in the World’s largest junior individuals squash tournament.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Baroda grabbed top spot in Digital Payments: Bank of Baroda has announced it has won the #1 position in overall digital transactions amongst large banks for FY20-21. The bank showed the exceptional growth of digital payment transactions achievement and was felicitated by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India at the Digital Payments Utsav. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Independence of India, MeitY is celebrating “Digital Payments Utsav”. As a part of the celebration, the Bank of Baroda has been conferred with 5 DigiDhan awards for FY 2019-20 & 2020-21 in various categories. BoB has been conferred with five DigiDhan awards for FY 2019-20 & 2020-21 in various categories.

Note: Bank of Baroda Founded: 20 July 1908; Bank of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat; Bank of Baroda Managing Director & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha; Bank of Baroda Tagline: India’s International Bank; Bank of Baroda Amalgamated Banks: Dena Bank & Vijaya Bank in 2019.

 

2. Mastercard and Google Pay tie-up for tokenisation for card-based payments: Mastercard and Google announced a tokenization method that enables Google Pay users to safely transact using their Mastercard credit cards and debit cards. With this collaboration, Google Pay Android users can scan and pay across all Bharat QR-enabled merchants, tap-and-pay, and make in-app transactions through their Mastercard debit and credit card. For a convenient registration, users will have to do a one-time setup by entering their card details and their OTP to add their card on the Google Pay app. Mastercard said this initiative is an extension of Mastercard’s long-standing collaboration with Google and will go a long way towards enabling India’s digital economy.

Note: Mastercard Founded: 16 December 1966; Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States; Mastercard CEO: Michael Miebach; Mastercard Executive Chairman: Ajay Banga.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Advance tax collection rises 54% to Rs 4.60 lakh crore: According to the finance ministry, advance tax collection increased by 53.50 per cent to Rs 4.60 lakh crore so far this fiscal year, indicating a recovery in the economy. Direct tax collections for 2021-22, as of December 16, show that net collections are at Rs 9.45 lakh crore compared to Rs 5.88 lakh crore over the year-ago period, representing an increase of 60.8 per cent. The cumulative advance tax collections for the primary, second and third quarter of 2021-22 stand at Rs 4,59,917.1 crore as on December 16, 2021, towards advance tax collections of Rs 2,99,620.5 crore for the corresponding interval of 2020-21, displaying a development of about 53.5 per cent.

 

2. Wipro to acquire Edgile in USD 230-million deal: Wipro has signed an agreement to acquire Edgile, a transformational cyber security consulting provider, for $230 million. Founded in 2001, Edgile is recognised by security and risk leaders for its business-aligned cyber security capability, deep understanding of the changing regulatory environment and enabling cloud transformations that help secure the modern enterprise. It has an onsite workforce of 182 employees. Together, Wipro and Edgile will develop Wipro CyberTransform, an integrated suite that will help enterprises enhance boardroom governance of cyber security risk, invest in robust cyber strategies, and reap the value of practical security in action.

Note: Chairman of Wipro Limited: Rishad Premji. Wipro Headquarters: Bengaluru; Wipro MD and CEO: Thierry Delaporte.

 

AWARDS AND HNOURS

 

1. Divya Hegde won UN Women’s Award for Leadership Commitment 2021: Divya Hegde, an Indian Climate Action Entrepreneur from Udupi, Karnataka, has won UN Women’s Award for Leadership Commitment at the 2021 Regional Asia-Pacific Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards Ceremony. She has been recognized for her sustained efforts in advancing gender equality through climate action efforts with her organization, Baeru Environmental Services.

Other Winners:

Youth Leadership: Pallavi Sherring

Gender-inclusive Workplace: Natwaste Group

Gender-Responsive Marketplace: Dharma Life

Community Engagement & Partnerships: The Very Group

Transparency & Reporting: Biocon Ltd India

SME Champions: Namita Vikas

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India successfully tests ‘Pralay’ missile off Odisha coast: India successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the indigenously-developed, surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’ off the Odisha coast. The solid-fuel, battlefield missile developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation is based on Prithvi Defence Vehicle from the Indian ballistic missile programme. The missile, launched from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island.

About the Missile: The new missile followed the desired quasi ballistic trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms. With a range of 150 to 500 km, ‘Pralay’ is powered with the solid propellant rocket motor and other new technologies. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics.