Daily GK Update- 13th May, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister launched Ladli Laxmi scheme 2.0: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the second phase of the Ladli Laxmi scheme (Ladli Laxmi scheme-2.0). The scheme is an innovative initiative to encourage girl children to pursue higher education and make them self-dependent. The scheme is being implemented by the government of Madhya Pradesh since 2007 to enhance the economic and educational status of the girls.

Ladli Laxmi’s scheme: Ladli Laxmi scheme is a comprehensive scheme that offers financial assistance for a girl from birth until her marriage in instalments. The family of the girl child should be a permanent resident of Madhya Pradesh. The family should come under below the poverty line (BPL), i.e., should not be an income taxpayer. A maximum of two daughters can be registered under this scheme.

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

 

2. NSO survey: Unemployment rate of India at 8.7% in October-December 2021: The National Statistical Office (NSO) data has revealed that the unemployment rate for people above 15 years in urban areas slipped from 10.3% to 8.7% between October and December 2021. Joblessness or unemployment rate (UR) is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force. Key points of the National Statistical Office data:

a)      Among males, the unemployment rate in urban areas also dipped to 8.3% in October-December 2021 compared to 9.5% a year ago. It was 9.3% in July-September 2021.

b)      The data also showed that the joblessness or unemployment rate among females (aged 15 years and above) in urban areas also declined to 10.5% from 13.1% in the same period. It was 11.6% in July-September 2021.

c)       Labour force participation rate in CWS (current weekly status) in urban areas for persons 15 years of age and above remained unchanged at 47.3% in the October-December quarter of 2021, compared to the same period a year ago. It was 46.9% in July-September 2021.

d)      Labour force refers to the part of the population which supplies or offers to supply labour for pursuing economic activities for the production of goods and services.

e)      The work Population Ratio in urban areas for persons of age 15 years and above stood at 43.2% in October-December 2021, up from 42.4% in the same period a year ago. It was 42.3% in July-September 2021.

 

3. WEF to focus on innovative technology to assist small and marginal farmers: The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with the government’s research institute Niti Aayog, is focusing on how to better employ emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and drones to aid farmers, especially small and marginal farmers. Key Points:

a)      Agriculture is an important part of the Indian economy, employing 43 percent of the country’s workers.

b)      Small holders, who account for 86 percent of all farmers in India and own less than 2 hectares of land (compared to 2-10 hectares for medium holders and more than 10 hectares for large holders), are still among the poorest people in the country, earning only 39 percent of what medium holders earn and only 13 percent of what large holders earn.

c)       Due to insufficient transparency of demand, exploitative intermediation, inadequate quality assurance, inadequate access to efficient and low-cost logistics, and little bargaining power, smallholder farmers are typically unable to obtain equivalent value for their produce.

d)      Improved value capture and total value production in the agricultural environment are required to increase farmer incomes. Technology has the potential to quickly develop and iterate solutions, reduce costs, improve information flow transparency, and boost connectivity across value chain actors.

e)      Given the importance of agriculture in the Indian economy and farmers’ chronic economic disadvantage, there is a pressing need to address difficulties in the farmgate-to-fork (F2F) ecosystem and making agriculture more profitable for farmers.

Solution according to WEF: In India, a plethora of high-potential innovations have arisen to solve these issues, with some proving proof of concept. India is well positioned to scale up these technologies. India’s rapidly evolving agricultural technology landscape reflects innovators, investors, and adopters who can develop, test, and adopt solutions at scale, with 560 million internet users (50 percent in rural areas), high smartphone penetration, and an AI market valued at $6.4 billion (16 percent of the global AI market).

 

4. Green Satellite Propulsion tested by Bellatrix Aerospace: Bengaluru-based Bellatrix Aerospace has successfully tested an environmentally friendly satellite propulsion system that offers a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency over hydrazine-dependent fuel systems. Bellatrix’s recent testing of its green propulsion system also signals a turning point in the company’s quest to develop a space taxi for satellites. Key Points:

a)      Satellite thrusters use the poisonous substance hydrazine, which has a negative influence on the environment, prompting space experts to look for environmentally friendly replacements.

b)      According to a press statement from ISRO, the union cabinet approved two unmanned missions and one crewed mission as part of the Rs 9,023-crore Gaganyaan project.

c)       Should green propellants be explored for human flight missions, they would result in faster processing times and fewer handling needs, both of which are key roles in a crewed human flight mission.

d)      ISRO has said that it will strive to employ green fuels in all future flights, and the green fuel recently tested by Bellatrix Aerospace is particularly promising, offering both safe handling and superior performance over harmful substances such as hydrazine.

e)      Green propulsion research is critical since the world is rapidly moving toward green chemistry, and keeping up with the latest advances is critical for our country.

 

5. A book Titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India” by Ex-IPS Prakash Singh: Vice President (VP) of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, released a book titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India: Ruler’s Police to People’s Police” authored by a former IPS officer, Prakash Singh in New Delhi. The book is published by Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd.

About the book: This book documents the efforts made to bring about police reforms in India. The book provides the historical background to the origin of the Indian Police and traces the evolution during British Rule and subsequently since independence. The book focuses on the efforts of Prakash Singh to bring transformational changes in the Indian Police.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister resigned after weeks of Protest: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahindra Rajapaksa resigned from his position. He sent his resignation letter to the president of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He has been accused of misleading Sri Lanka’s economy and pushing Sri Lanka towards Bank corruption and economic crisis.  The Sri Lankan people have been protesting against the president and the prime minister. The supporters attack the Anti-government protesters outside the president’s office which leads to massive violence.  151 people were injured and admitted in the hospital.

Reason for Protest in Sri Lanka: During this month the president has declared two state emergencies because the protest against the prime minister grew large every day. The protestors were not happy with the government and demanded the resignation of President Rajapaksa and his elder brother Mahindra Rajapaksa who is the prime minister of Sri Lanka. Mahindra Rajapaksa has been accused of mismanaging the economy of Sri Lanka and pushing it towards bankruptcy. The Paksa family has been dominating Sri Lanka for years and now the people are ready to protest against the government. The economic crisis leads to food shortages, medicine shortages, and fuel shortages. The country has no budget for foreign exchange and is under the depth of international countries. To pay the depth of all the international countries Sri Lanka needs 3 billion to four billion dollars. The main reason for the economic crisis was the setback of the tourism industry due to Covid-19, depletion of forex reserves, and the depression of currency in Sri Lanka. The protester strongly believes that the Rajapaksa family has failed Sri Lanka as a country.

 

2. Monkeypox Virus: Another virus, Monkeypox, has made an appearance in the United Kingdom. The patient has a recent travel history from Nigeria, where they are suspected to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which confirmed the case.

Monkeypox Virus: Monkeypox is a viral disease caused by the Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family and is associated with diseases such as smallpox, cowpox, horsepox, and camelpox. It was first discovered in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, two years after smallpox had been eradicated from the area.

According to WHO records, the majority of Monkeypox cases have been reported from rural, rainforest regions of the Congo Basin since 1970, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is currently considered endemic.

Monkeypox Virus History: According to a scientific report, the Monkeypox virus was initially discovered in a colony of Cynomolgus monkeys kept at the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen in 1958. The disease first struck giant anteaters from South America, but it quickly spread to other ape and monkey species. The Congo Basin and West African clades of the Monkeypox virus are responsible for the disease. Clades are collections of creatures that have a common ancestor. The Congo Basin clade of Monkeypox virus is the more virulent and transmissible of the two genetic clades.

About Monkeypox Virus Outbreak:

a)      According to the WHO, the first large Monkeypox outbreak was detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1996–97, with lower case fatality and a greater attack rate.

b)      A Monkeypox epidemic was detected in the United States in 2003, marking the first time the disease had been reported outside of Africa. “n 2003, 47 cases of Monkeypox were confirmed or suspected in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.All Monkeypox patients in this outbreak became ill after coming into contact with pet prairie dogs.

c)       In 2017, Nigeria saw the largest documented outbreak in 40 years.

d)      Travellers from Nigeria who became ill with Monkeypox after arriving in Israel in September 2018, the United Kingdom in September 2018 and December 2019, and Singapore in May 2019 carried the disease.

Symptoms of monkeypox: During a Monkeypox viral attack, the symptoms can be divided into two categories: invasion and skin rash. Monkeypox typically takes 6 to 13 days to incubate. The incubation period is the time between when an infection occurs and when symptoms develop in a person. The patient has fever, acute headache, lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes), back pain, myalgia (muscle aches), and an intense asthenia during the invasion stage, which is within the first 5 days of the illness (lack of energy).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. 12th IBA Womens World Boxing Championships kick-started in Istanbul: The 12th edition of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships was kick-started in Istanbul, Turkey. In this event, more than 400 boxers from a record 93 countries are set to take part in this year’s event, which also marks the 20th anniversary of the prestigious event.

Olympian Lovlina Borgohain will represent the Indian country. The other representatives of this game are Pooja Rani (81 kg), Nandini (+81 kg) and Nikhat Zareen (52 kg), Nitu (48kg), Anamika (50kg), Shiksha (54kg), Manisha (57kg), Parveen (63kg) and Sweety (75kg).

Note: International Boxing Association (IBA) was formed in 1946; Headquarters of IBA: Lausanne, Switzerland; President of IBA: Umar Nazarovich Kremlev.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. GoI releases Rs 7,183.42 crore to 14 states as revenue deficit grant: The central government has released Rs 7,183.42 crore as a revenue deficit grant to 14 states including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, Assam and Kerala. The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance released the money. This is the 2nd monthly instalment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant to states. The grant has been released as per the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission. The States which have been recommended Post Devolution Revenue Deficit grant by the Fifteenth Finance Commission during 2022-23 are: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Key points:

a)      Fifteenth Finance Commission recommended Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant to states. Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant is provided under Article 275 of the Indian Constitution.

b)      The Fifteenth Finance Commission has recommended a total Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs 86,201 crore to 14 states for the financial year 2022-23.

c)       The Department of Expenditure (Ministry of Finance) will release the grant to the recommended states in 12 equated monthly instalments (EMIs). With the recent release, the total amount of Revenue Deficit Grants released to the States in 2022-23 has gone up to Rs 14,366.84 crore.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Union Minister Pandit Sukh Ram passes away: Veteran Himachal Pradesh Congress leader and former Union minister, Pandit Sukh Ram has passed away at 94. He was the Union Minister of State, Communications (Independent Charge) from 1993 to 1996 and a member of Lok Sabha from the Mandi constituency (Himachal Pradesh). He won the Lok Sabha elections three times and the Vidhan Sabha elections five times. In 2011, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for corruption when he was Communications Minister in 1996.

 

2. World’s oldest chess grandmaster Yuri Averbakh passes away: Russian chess grandmaster, Yuri Averbakh who was among the world’s best players for a decade, trained world champions and was the last surviving participant in one of the greatest competitions in history, has died in Moscow at 100. He won the Moscow Championship in 1949 and earned the Grandmaster title in 1952. In 1954, he became the champion of the USSR. He also chaired the Chess Federation of the USSR from 1972 to 1977.

Daily GK Update- 12th May, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. LS Speaker Om Birla launches One of its Kind ‘Kalam Website’: Lok Sabha (LS) Speaker, Om Birla has launched the one-of-its-kind literary initiative Kalam website of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) to support and encourage vernacular literature. The aim of Kalam is to popularize Hindi literature and provide a platform for veteran and young authors and poets to talk about their writings and love for vernacular literature.

About Kalam Initiative: Kalam started its journey back in the summer of 2015 in the cities of Jaipur and Patna and has conducted over 550 sessions spread over 40 cities in India and overseas since then. Kalam is in sync with the philosophy of our nation – ‘Unity in Diversity’ which is reflected in the tagline of Prabha Khaitan Foundation – ‘Aapne Bhasha Aapne Log’.

 

2. Delhi govt will provide “Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana”: Delhi govt will provide free sewer connections under the “Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana”. 25,000 households located in East Delhi will be provided with free sewer connections under the ‘Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana.’ The free sewer connections will be provided by the Delhi government in 12 colonies in Mustafabad and Karawal Nagar. The colonies will be including Chandu Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, and parts of Khajuri Khas. Rs 19 crore has been allocated by the state government for the implementation of these connections. The board also decided to set up 30 RO plants at JJ colonies to increase the drinking water supply. Each plant will provide around 50,000 litres of water per day. The supply will be free.

The waste generated be carried to: Through the free sewer connections, the households will be connected to Delhi’s existing sewer network. The waste generated will be carried to the Yamuna Vihar sewage treatment plant. The aim of providing the free sewer connection is to prevent the sewage that is generated from landing in the River Yamuna. The sewer connections in these colonies will help to prevent 2.5 crore litres of untreated waste from falling into River Yamuna.

 

3. Jan Suraksha Scheme completes 7 years of Social Security: The Jan Suraksha scheme which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9th May 2015 completes 7 years of providing social security. Three Jan Suraksha schemes were launched by the prime minister, these schemes are Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana. The schemes complete 7 years of providing social security with the motto of recognizing the necessity to protect human life from risk and economic uncertainty.

a)      Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): The Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is a one-year life insurance program that can be renewed year after year and provides coverage for any cause of death. Individuals who have savings bank or post office accounts between the age of 18 and 17 are eligible to participate in the scheme. Insurance of rupees 2 lakh is granted in accidental death and disability. Rupees 1 lakh is granted in case of partial impairment.

b)      Pradhanmantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): Pradhanmantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is a one-year life insurance program that is also renewable year after year and provides coverage for any cause of death. Individuals who have savings bank or post office accounts between the age of 18 to 50 are eligible for this program. The scheme offers the people ensured life risk covered until the age of 55 if they pay the premium before they reach the age of 50. For an insurance policy of 2 lakh, the cost each year will be rupees 330. The premium for the scheme is automatically deducted every year from the account holder’s bank account.

c)       Atal pension Yojana (APY): Atal Pension Yojana is available for individuals who have bank accounts between the age of 18 and 40 and the contributions vary depending on the amount of pension chosen. The individuals who have subscribed for the Atal Pension Yojana are guaranteed a minimum monthly pension of rupees 1000, Rs 2000, Rs 3000, Rs 4000, or Rs 5000 according to the pension payment entered into the program when they reach the age of 60. The individual who has subscribed for a monthly pension is available through his lifetime then it is transferred to his spouse after his death and then the subscriber’s pension goes to the subscriber’s nominee.

 

4. Tamil Nadu govt announced breakfast scheme for primary school students: Tamil Nadu chief minister, MK Stalin has announced that all government primary school students from 1st to 5th standards will be provided nutritious breakfast on all working days. Tamil Nadu is set to become the first state to offer breakfast along with midday meals. This includes the launch of integrated urban health centres within the Corporation and Municipal limits.

Under the scheme: The schemes are a free morning breakfast scheme for government school students, a scheme to eradicate nutrition deficiency, the establishment of schools of excellence and primary health centres in urban areas and the expansion of ‘CM in Your Constituency’, a public grievances redress system, to all 234 constituencies. The free breakfast scheme was launched based on the available information that the government school children skip breakfast while going to school because of the distance and family situations.

 

5. Alkesh Kumar Sharma appointed as Ministry of Electronics and IT’s Secretary: Alkesh Kumar Sharma, a senior IAS officer, has been named Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). He was previously the Cabinet Secretariat’s secretary (Coordination). Alkesh Kumar Sharma previously served as Kerala’s additional chief secretary for industries from May 2020 to April 2021. Sharma served as the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail and the CEO of the Cochin Smart City Mission from September 2019 until April 2021.

Note: Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. International Nurses Day: 12th May: May 12 is observed as International Nurses’ Day across the world to honour the services of nurses. It is the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the English social reformer, statistician and founder of modern nursing. She was also known as Lady with the Lamp. She was the founder of modern nursing and was a British social reformer and statistician. The theme for this year’s Nurses’ Day is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health”. Many hospitals across the world are observing International Nurses Week from May 6 to 12. As part of it, several activities, including yoga sessions and seminars are being organised.

The Florence Nightingale story: Nightingale gained prominence during the Crimean War between Russia and Britain in the 1850s. Along with her team of 38 women, she took care of British soldiers who were dealing with horrible sanitation facilities apart from battling Russian forces. According to historical accounts, injured soldiers had dirty bandages covering rotting wounds, there were rats at their bases, and only one bathtub per 150 personnel. Making matters worse, a dead horse had been left to rot in their water supply.

 

2. International Day of Plant Health: 12th May: The United Nations designated 12 May the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development. The United Nations declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The Year was extended until 1 July 2021 due to the postponement of some key initiatives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Carlos Alcaraz won the men’s singles title at the Madrid Open title 2022: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) has clinched the men’s singles Madrid Open title 2022 after beating the defending champion Alexander Zverev (Germany). Alcaraz has also defeated Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic (world No.1) to reach the final. It is his second Masters 1000 crown after Miami 2022 and his fourth title of the year. Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) has clinched the women’s singles title to become the first African player to win a WTA 1000 event.

Here are the winners of different categories:

 

Category	Winner
Men’s singles:	Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Women’s singles:	Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)
Men’s doubles:	Wesley Koolhof  (Netherlands) & Neal Skupski (United Kingdom)
Women’s doubles:	Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) &  Giuliana Olmos (Mexico)

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI formed Advisory Committee for ESG-related matters: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has constituted a committee for advising on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) related matters in the securities market. The committee will be chaired by Navneet Munot, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC Mutual Fund.

Work of this Committee: The terms of reference of the committee include Enhancements in business responsibility and sustainability report, ESG ratings, and ESG investing. It will examine evolving disclosures/metrics relevant to the Indian context and suggest areas for assurance and a plan for implementation.

Other Members: They include MD & CEO of Tata Chemicals, C Siva Kumar, executive director of NTPC, Amit Talgeri, chief risk officer, Axis Bank, Sharad Kalghtagi, ESG head Cipla, Amit Tandon, Institutional Investor Advisory Services, J N Gupta, founder & MD of Stakeholders Empowerment Services, Rama Patel, Director Crisil Ratings and Ramnath.

Note: SEBI Founded: 12 April 1992; SEBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SEBI Agency executive: Madhabi Puri Buch (Chairperson).

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. UPI hits record 5.58 Bn transactions worth Rs 9.83 trillion in April 2022: According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India’s flagship digital payments platform, has recorded 5.58 billion (bn) transactions worth Rs 9.83 trillion in April 2022. This is the highest ever number of transactions recorded by UPI. The monthly UPI recorded a 3.33 % increase in transaction volume from 5.4 billion transactions worth Rs 9.6 trillion in March 2022.

Compared to April 2021, the transaction volume increased by 111% and the transaction value increased by nearly 100%. In April 2021, UPI processed 2.64 billion transactions worth Rs 4.93 trillion. The UPI had breached the USD 1 trillion mark in transaction values in the financial year 2021-22.

Note: NPCI Founded: 2008; NPCI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; NPCI MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.

 

2. On closing day of LIC IPO, the total subscription at 2.95 times: On the final day of bidding, the insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation of India’s (LIC) IPO, the country’s largest ever, witnessed 2.95 times greater demand than the shares on sale, generating bids totalling Rs 43,933 crore. Domestic investors, mostly retail, were the primary drivers of the subscription. The IPO received 7.33 million retail investor applications, breaking the previous record of 4.8 million set by Reliance Power in 2008. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were lukewarm on the issue, owing to global risk aversion caused by rising bond yields. The policyholders’ component witnessed the highest level of participation, with bids totaling over Rs 12,000 crore. Employees’ shares were 4.4 times subscribed, while retail individual investors’ shares were two times subscribed, with bids totaling over Rs 12,450 crore.

Life Insurance Corporation of India’s (LIC): The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is an Indian statutory insurance and investment company with its headquarters in Mumbai. It is under the control of the Indian government. The Life Insurance Corporation of India was founded on September 1, 1956, when the Indian Parliament passed the Life Insurance of India Act, which nationalised the Indian insurance business. The state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India was formed through the merger of over 245 insurance companies and provident societies.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Pulitzer Prizes 2022: Complete List of Winners: The 106th class of Pulitzer Prize winners in Journalism, Books, Drama and Music were announced. The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fortune as a newspaper publisher, and is administered by Columbia University.

Here’s the full list of winners in journalism:

a)      Public Service: The Washington Post for its account of the assault on Washington on January 6, 2021.

b)      Breaking News Reporting: The staff of the Miami Herald for its coverage of the collapse of the Seaside apartment towers in Florida.

c)       Investigative Reporting: Corey G. Johnson, Rebecca Woolington and Eli Murray of the Tampa Bay Times for an expose of highly toxic hazards inside Florida’s only battery recycling plant that forced the implementation of safety measures to adequately protect workers and nearby residents.

d)      Explanatory Reporting: Staff of Quanta Magazine, notably Natalie Wolchover, for reporting on how the Webb Space Telescope works.

e)      Local Reporting: Madison Hopkins of the Better Government Association and Cecilia Reyes of the Chicago Tribune for an examination of Chicago’s long history of failed building and fire safety code enforcement.

f)        National Reporting: The staff of The New York Times for a project that quantified a disturbing pattern of fatal traffic stops by police.

g)      International Reporting: The staff of The New York Times for reporting that exposed the vast civilian tolls of US-led airstrikes, challenging official accounts of American military engagements in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

h)      Feature Writing: Jennifer Senior of The Atlantic for a portrayal of a family’s reckoning of loss in the 20 years since 9/11.

i)        Commentary: Melinda Henneberger of the Kansas City Star for persuasive columns demanding justice for alleged victims of a retired police detective accused of being a sexual predator.

j)        Criticism: Salamishah Tillet, contributing critic at large for The New York Times, for writing about Black stories in art and popular culture.

k)      Editorial Writing: Lisa Falkenberg, Michael Lindenberger, Joe Holley and Luis Carrasco of the Houston Chronicle for a campaign that, with original reporting, revealed voter suppression tactics, rejected the myth of widespread voter fraud and argued for sensible voting reforms.

l)        Illustrated Reporting and Commentary: Fahmida Azim, Anthony Del Col, Josh Adams and Walt Hickey of Insider for a comic on an Uyghur internment camp.

m)    Breaking News Photography: (1) Marcus Yam of the Los Angeles Times for raw and urgent images of the US departure from Afghanistan. (2) Win McNamee, Drew Angerer, Spencer Platt, Samuel Corum and Jon Cherry of Getty Images for comprehensive and consistently riveting photos of the attack on the US capitol.

n)      Feature Photography: Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave and the late Danish Siddiqui of Reuters for images of Covid’s toll in India.

o)      Audio Reporting: Staffs of Futuro Media and PRX for “Suave” — an immersive profile of a man re-entering society after more than 30 years in prison.

Here’s the list for books, drama and music:

a)      Fiction: The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family, by Joshua Cohen.

b)      Drama: Fat Ham, by James Ijames

c)       History: Covered with Night, by Nicole Eustace and Cuba: An American History, by Ada Ferrer

d)      Biography: Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South, by the late Winfred Rembert as told to Erin I. Kelly

e)      Poetry: frank: sonnets, by Diane Seuss

f)        General Nonfiction: Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City, by Andrea Elliott

g)      Music: Voiceless Mass, by Raven Chacon

Daily GK Update- 11th May, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. New Electoral Map released for Jammu and Kashmir: A three-member Delimitation Commission redrawing the electoral map of Jammu and Kashmir allotted 47 Assembly seats for Kashmir division and 43 for Jammu in its final decision submitted barely a day before its two-year term was to end. After the panel, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, approved the final verdict, giving Jammu six additional seats and Kashmir one more, a gazette notification was released. Jammu had 37 Assembly constituencies and Kashmir had 46 before the restructure, which increased the overall number of Assembly seats in the Union Territory to 90. Key Points:

a)      The Commission, which includes ex-officio members Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Jammu and Kashmir Election Commissioner K K Sharma, has recommended that the Union Territory’s Legislative Assembly include at least two members from the Kashmiri migrant community, one of whom be a woman.

b)      The Commission, which was established in March 2020 and was tasked with delineating Assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory based on the 2011 Census, has also recommended to the government that displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir be given some representation in the assembly through nomination.

c)       Furthermore, following consultations with members of political parties, residents, and civil society organisations, nine seats for Scheduled Tribes have been suggested for the first time — six in Jammu and three in the Valley.

d)      The Union Territory has five Parliamentary constituencies, each with 18 Assembly seats.

e)      Some Assembly seats have had their names altered in response to local lawmakers’ requests and popular reaction surrounding the renaming.

 

2. Delhi Govt announced “Delhi Startup Policy” to aid the entrepreneur: The Delhi cabinet has approved the “Delhi Startup Policy” with an aim to create an ecosystem for people to launch startups and provide them with fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, collateral-free loans, and free consultancy from experts, lawyers, and CA. The 20 members task force will be set up to oversee the startup policy. This committee will be headed by Delhi’s Finance Minister. To encourage, facilitate, and support 15,000 startups by 2030. The Delhi Government will pay up to 50% of the rent of a startup’s office lease or pitch in for a portion of the salaries that these startups will pay to their employees. We will also reimburse them for the costs incurred on applying for patents, copyrights and trademarks.

Monitoring committee: The government will form a monitoring committee to oversee the startup policy. This committee will be headed by Delhi’s Finance Minister. The composition of this committee will be – 85% representatives from the private sector, 10% from educational institutions and 5% from the government.

 

3. Supreme Court gets 2 new judges to regain full strength of 34: The Union government of India has notified the appointment of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, the chief justice of Gauhati High Court, and Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala, a judge of the Gujarat High Court, as judges of the Supreme Court. The Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had recommended their names for appointment on May 5. The other members of the Collegium are Justices UU Lalit, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao.

At present, the Supreme Court has a strength of 32 judges as against a sanctioned strength of 34 judges. The fresh appointments will help regain the 34-judge strength, but two other vacancies will arise soon with Justice Vineet Saran set to retire on May 10 and Justice Nageswara Rao on June 7.

 

4. Exide and Leclanché’s joint venture Nexcharge begins production in Gujarat: At its facilities in Prantij, Gujarat, Nexcharge, a joint venture between India’s Exide Industries Limited and Switzerland’s Leclanché SA, has started mass production of lithium-ion battery packs. The plant, which covers six lakh square feet and has a 1.5 GWh installed capacity, comprises six totally automated assembly lines and testing facilities. Key Points:

a)      Exide and Leclanche invested Rs 250 crore in the plant, which would employ its six assembly lines to produce over 150 products developed over the last four years.

b)      The six assembly lines will use cells to create modules, which will subsequently be converted into battery packs in a variety of shapes and sizes, including pouch, prismatic, and cylindrical, to meet the energy storage needs of India’s electric vehicle market and industrial applications.

c)       Nexcharge manufactures battery packs for a variety of goods, including two- and three-wheelers, personal and commercial cars, and inverters.

d)      Cells are currently sourced from China by the company, which has an in-house R&D centre in Bengaluru. In India, it has 35 clients.

 

5. A book ‘INDO-PAK WAR 1971- Reminiscences of Air Warriors’ released by Rajnath Singh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has released a book titled ‘INDO-PAK WAR 1971- Reminiscences of Air Warriors’ at the 37th Air Chief Marshal PC Lal Memorial Lecture organised by the Air Force Association in New Delhi, Delhi. The book was edited by Air Marshal Jagjeet Singh and Group Captain Shailendra Mohan. The book features 50 Swarnim articles written by veterans narrating their experiences in detail. Defence Minister also paid tribute to Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal (PC Lal). Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal (PC Lal), served as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff during the 1965 war and had served as the 7th Chief of the Air Staff during the 1971 war.

 

6. National Technology Day: 11th May: National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th May across the country. National Technology Day has significant historical importance in India. Every year on this day, officials pay honour to India’s scientists for their achievements. This day is commemorated as an achievement of India’s technical advances, since on May 11, 1998, the country successfully tested nuclear weapons in Pokhran. The theme for National Technology Day 2022 is “Integrated Approach in Science and technology for sustainable future”. The theme was launched by Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

National Technology Day History: It was on 11th May 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out a series of nuclear tests at Pokhran. In addition, the first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” was tested on this day, besides which, India also performed a successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day. Considering the technological advancements, the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, declared 11th May to be celebrated as National Technology Day every year.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Yoon Suk-yeol takes oath as South Korea’s new president: Yoon Suk-yeol was sworn in as South Korean president in a huge ceremony at Seoul’s National Assembly, taking office at a time of high tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea. The ceremony was attended by over 40,000 people, including officials from the US and China. The new president is facing several challenges, including the task to balance ties with China to defuse ongoing tensions with North Korea. Yoon Suk-yeol, who has called North Korea the South’s “main enemy,” offered to work with the international community to craft an “audacious plan” to improve North Korea’s economy in return for its commitment to “complete denuclearization.” The 20th president of the country delivered an inauguration speech vowing to build a nation that “truly belongs to the people.”

Note: South Korea Capital: Seoul; South Korea Currency: South Korean won.

 

2. Vietnam opens world’s longest glass-bottomed bridge: World’s Largest Glass Bottom Bridge was opened in Vietnam. It is called as Vietnam’s Bach Long pedestrian bridge, which is 632m (2,073ft) long and located 150m (492ft) above a huge jungle. As per the reports, the Asian country has opened a glass-bottomed bridge suspended above a lush jungle. It surpasses a 526m Glass Bottom Bridge in Guangdong, China. The Bach Long pedestrian bridge which means ‘white dragon’ in Vietnamese. The bridge suspends above the rainforest The Bridge can support up to 450 people at a time and the floor of the bridge is made from tempered glass.

Note: Vietnam Capital City: Hanoi; Vietnam Currency: Vietnamese dong; Vietnam Prime Minister: Phạm Minh Chính.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India’s Avinash Sable breaks 30-year-old 5000 metre record: India’s Avinash Sable broke a 30-year-old record of Bahadur Prasad in 5000m, setting a new national record with a timing of 13:25.65 at the Sound Running Track meet in San Juan Capistrano, USA. The 27-year-old from Maharashtra broke the old record of 13:29.70 set by Bahadur Prasad in 1992.

Sable’s growth in athletics has been extraordinary. Till about seven years ago, he was posted as a havildar with the Army in Siachen. From the frigid cold, he was transferred to a small cantonment in the desert town of Lalgarh Jattan, near the Pakistan border in Rajasthan. The boy who walked 12 kilometres, to get to school and back, got his lucky break when he was selected to join a training group for a cross-country race organised by the Army.

 

2. 24th Deaflympics: Abhinav Deshwal won gold medal in men’s 10m air pistol: Abhinav Deshwal has won the second gold medal for India in shooting at the ongoing 24th Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. He was tied with silver winning Ukrainian Oleksii Lazebnyk before winning gold in a shoot-off. India has four medals in the shooting competition at the 24th Deaflympics. Abhinav made the top eight final round after finishing second in the 60-shot qualification round with a score of 575 out of 600. He was tied on points there too with Kim Kihyeon, but the Korean topped on account of more inner 10s.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank Launches ‘Xpress Car Loan’ Industry First Digital New Car Loan: HDFC Bank, a private sector lender, has introduced 30-minute ‘Xpress Car Loans’, an end-to-end digital new car loan solution for both existing and non-customers. The bank has integrated its lending application with automobile dealers throughout India. It is the industry’s first automotive lending experience, and it is expected to change the way automobile financing is done in India.

Key Points of ‘Xpress Car Loans’:

a)      The facility will be offered at all of the bank’s branches, dealerships, and, eventually, on third-party aggregator platforms.

b)      This comprehensive, faster, more convenient, and inclusive digital journey for car buyers will simplify the automobile purchase process and boost car sales across India, particularly in semi-urban and rural locations.

c)       As it has integrated its lending application with vehicle dealers across India, it anticipates 20%–30% of clients to use this loan facility of up to Rs. 20 lakhs.

d)      Currently, the facility is only available for four-wheelers, and it will be gradually extended to include two-wheeler loans.

Note: HDFC Bank Ltd MD & CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan; HDFC Bank Ltd Establishment: 1994; HDFC Bank Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; HDFC Bank Ltd Tagline: We Understand Your World.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. ICG commissions the 845th Air Squadron equipped with Dhruv ALH Mk III helicopters: At the Coast Guard Air Enclave at Nedumbassery in Kochi, the Coast Guard commissioned its second Air Squadron, 845 Squadron. The new Air Squadron was commissioned by Coast Guard Director General V S Pathania and is equipped with Advanced Mark III (ALH Mark III) helicopters produced in-house. The commissioning represents a huge step forward in terms of self-reliance in search and rescue missions and long-range maritime surveillance. Four helicopters have been stationed in Kochi to cover the Karnataka, Kerala, and Lakshadweep coasts. Commandant Kunal Naik leads a squadron of nine officers and 35 soldiers.

Advanced Mark III (ALH Mark III) helicopters: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited designed and built the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter (HAL). HAL Dhruv’s development was disclosed in November 1984. The helicopter initially flew in 1992, although it took longer to build due to a number of issues, including the Indian Army’s request for design alterations, funding constraints, and sanctions imposed on India after the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word dhruv, which signifies firm or unshakeable.

The ALH Mk-III, equipped with the new Shakti-1H engines, has excellent high-altitude performance at altitudes of above 6 km. It can accommodate 14 fully outfitted troops. The DGCA has lauded the design’s crash worthiness, noting that just a few accidents have resulted in fatalities.

Note: Coast Guard Director General: V S Pathania; The Indian Chief of the Air Staff: Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari

 

2. Indian Navy plans to purchase the GISAT-2 satellite to increase its capacity: The Indian Navy plans to purchase a specialised earth imaging satellite Geo Imaging Satellite-2 (GISAT-2), this fiscal year as part of its modernisation and network-centric combat and communications programme. The satellite, if operational, is likely to improve the navy’s operating capabilities in the Indian Ocean region, which is strategically and geopolitically crucial, especially given China’s growing influence. Key Points:

a)      According to information from the Ministry of Defence, the GISAT-2 is one of 21 planned procurements, including several long-term buys. In addition, the navy’s capabilities development/modernization is being carried out in line with the long-term objectives in place for the next decade.

b)      Under the budget projections for 2022-23, the navy would receive Rs 45,250 crore for modernisation. With a 10% annual growth rate, it is expected to receive more Rs 2.7 lakh crore for upgrading by 2026-27. According to the Ministry of Defense, the navy’s total committed liabilities are Rs 1.20 lakh crores, and modernization schemes worth more than Rs 1.9 lakh crores and Rs 2.5 lakh crores (under Part A and B of the annual acquisition plan) are being advanced for contract conclusion over the next five years.

c)       Aside from GISAT-2, the navy plans to buy: Next-generation missile vessels, fleet support ships (FSS), high and medium altitude long endurance remotely piloted aircraft systems, multi-role carrier borne fighters, indigenous aircraft carrier-2; next-generation fast attack craft; next-generation corvettes, destroyers, fast interceptor craft, and survey vessel; national hospital ship; electronic warfare system; extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle; anti-ship missiles (cons).