Daily GK Update- 7th June, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches Lifestyle for Environment movement: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement’, a global initiative, and asserted that its vision is to live a lifestyle that is in tune with our planet and does not harm it. The launch initiated ‘LiFE Global Call for Papers’ inviting ideas and suggestions from academics, universities and research institutions etc to influence and persuade individuals, communities and organisations across the world to adopt an environment-conscious lifestyle. Key points:

a)      The idea of LiFE was introduced by the Prime Minister during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties COP-26 in Glasgow last year.

b)      The idea promotes an environment conscious lifestyle that focuses on mindful and deliberate utilisation instead of mindless and destructive consumption.

c)       Mission LiFE borrows from the past, operates in the present and focuses on the future.

Participants were present on the occasion:

a)      Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

b)      The programme also witnessed participation of Co-Chairman Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates.

c)       Climate Economist Lord Nicholas Stern.

d)      Author of Nudge Theory Prof. Cass Sunstein.

e)      CEO and President World Resources Institute Aniruddha Dasgupta.

f)        UNEP Global Head Ms. Inger Andersen.

g)      UNDP Global Head Achim Steiner.

h)      World Bank President David Malpass among others.

 

2. NABARD Chairman launches My Pad My Right programme in Leh: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Chairman Dr GR Chintala has launched “My Pad My Right programme”, in Leh. The programme launched by Nabard’s NabFoundation with machinery and materials of a cost of Seven and half Lakh rupees. Dr GR Chintala announced to sanction One more lakh to upgrade the machinery to make sanitary pads suitable to the demands of women of different age groups. This efforts are on for economic empowerment of rural women through menstrual hygiene. This will help women to participate in country’s economic development. Under this unique project, award winning sanitary pad making machines will be installed through the network of self-help groups.

Note: NABARD Formation: July 12, 1982; NABARD Headquarters: Mumbai; NABARD Chairman: Govinda Rajulu Chintala.

 

3. Tamil Nadu CM flags off luxury cruise liner “Empress”: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin flagged off the luxury cruise liner “Empress” from Chennai port. The eleven-storey tourist vessel can accommodate up to two thousand passengers and about 800 crew members. The packages include going to the high seas from the city port and to return, and also to anchor at Puducherry and Visakhapatnam harbours, as said by the operator.

The three different packages consist of two, three and five days. The vessel has a swimming pool, children’s play area, gym, theatre and a multi-cuisine restaurant, as said by its operator Cordelia. This is considered the first luxury cruise liner to be operated from the state, while the state officials say a few other prominent operators have also shown interest in offering sea-based tourism services.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: K. Stalin; Tamil Nadu Governor: N. Ravi.

 

4. Rubber Board’s electronic trading platform ‘mRube’ to go live: mRube, the electronic trading platform promoted by Rubber Board will go live from June 8. The Ahmedabad-based i-Sourcing Technologies is the technology partner. mRube follows a simple one-time registration. KN Raghavan, Executive Director will launch the beta version of the electronic platform at a function in the presence of the Rubber Producer Society and other industry representatives.

Key points:

a)      The e-market for rubber will be a game-changer in the rubber marketing system. Though rubber trade possesses an innate advantage of high-level marketing efficiency, the trading system has not upgraded with changing requirements of the consumer sector.

b)      The rubber market will rework a recreation right into a rubber advertising and marketing system. The e-commerce platform is being thought of Full the prevailing buying and selling system by bringing higher transparency and market visibility.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Abania Elects General Major Bajram Begaj as New President: Albania’s parliament has elected a top military official, General Major Bajram Begaj as its new president after no candidates were nominated in three rounds of voting. The outgoing President Ilir Meta signed the decree on Begaj’s dismissal as Chief of General Staff of the AAF.

Earlier, Bajram Begaj held the post of the Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF). He is Albania’s 8th president and the 3rd from the military ranks. Bajram Begaj will take oath as the new president on 25th July 2022 to replace the current president ‘Ilir Meta’, who will remain in office until 22nd July 2022.

Note: Albania Capital: Tirana; Albania Currency: Albanian lek; Albania Prime Minister: Edi Rama.

 

2. World Food Safety Day: 7th June: World Food Safety Day is celebrated globally on June 7 every year as per the World Health Organization (WHO). World Food Safety Day aims to transform food systems to deliver better health sustainably and prevent foodborne diseases. This day also provides an opportunity to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe and reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses globally. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the theme of World Food Safety Day in March. This year, the theme is ‘Safer food, better health’.

World Food Safety Day History: The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day in 2018 to raise awareness of this vital food safety issue. The WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) jointly kickstarted World Food Safety Day in collaboration with the member states and other stakeholders.

Note: World Health Organization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; World Health Organization Founded: 7 April 1948.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. French Open Tennis Grand Slam 2022: The 2022 French Open was a Grand Slam tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It was held at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, from 22 May to 5 June 2022. Iga Świątek won the women’s singles event, capturing her second French Open crown, and Rafael Nadal won the men’s singles event, capturing his record-extending 14th French Open title. List of Winners French Open 2022:

 

Title	Winner	Runner up
Men’s Singles	Rafael Nadal (Spain)	Casper Ruud (Norwegian)
Women’s Singles	Iga Świątek (Poland)	Coco Gauff (US)
Men’s doubles	Marcelo Arévalo ( El Salvador),  Jean-Julien Rojer (Netherlands)	Ivan Dodig (Croatian), Austin Krajicek (US)
Women’s doubles	Caroline Garcia (French), Kristina Mladenovic (French)	Jessica Pegula (US), Coco Gauff (US)
Mixed doubles	Ena Shibahara (JAPAN), Wesley Koolh of (Netherlands)	Joran Vliegen (Belgium), Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway)

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI announces results of 1st Global Hackathon “HARBINGER 2021”: The Reserve Bank of India had launched its first global hackathon – “HARBINGER 2021 – Innovation for Transformation” with the theme ‘Smarter Digital Payments’ which was communicated. The hackathon received encouraging response with 363 proposals submitted by teams from within India and from 22 other countries including the USA, UK, Sweden, Singapore, Philippines, and Israel. The Hackathon ran in three phases with shortlisting of proposals in the first phase, solution development in the second phase followed by the final evaluation in the third phase.

The third phase of final evaluation was held on May 26-27, 2022 in Bengaluru wherein 24 finalist teams presented their solutions for the problem statements to the jury of external experts who evaluated and selected the winners and runners-up based on parameters like innovation, technology, demonstration, user experience, security, ease of implementation.

The results of the Hackathon are as follows:

 

S. No	Problem Statement	Results
1	Innovative, easy-touse, non-mobile digital payment solutions for converting small-ticket cash transactions to digital mode.	Tone Tag (Brand of Naffa Innovations Pvt. Ltd.) (INDIA)
2	Alternate authentication mechanism for digital payments	napID Cybersec Pvt. Ltd.(INDIA)
3	Context based retail payments to remove the physical act of payment	Tone Tag (Brand of Naffa Innovations Pvt. Ltd.) (INDIA)
4	Social Media Analysis and Monitoring tool for detection of digital payment fraud and disruption	TrustCheckr (INDIA)

 

2. Swarup Kumar Saha appointed as head of Punjab & Sind Bank: The government has appointed Swarup Kumar Saha as head of Punjab & Sind Bank. Saha, who is the executive director of Punjab National Bank (PNB), replaced S Krishnan, who also superannuated on May 31. Saha, a graduate of Science from the University of Calcutta, Kolkata, started his career in banking in the erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce in the year 1990 as Probationary Officer.

Note: Punjab & Sind Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; Punjab & Sind Bank Founded: 24 June 1908.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. MS Dhoni invests for Chennai drone company Garuda Aerospace: Former Indian cricket team captain, MS Dhoni has invested an undisclosed sum in Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace, India’s leading drone-as-a-service (DaaS) provider. He will also be the face and brand ambassador of the company. The investment is part of a bridge round, ahead of a $30-million Series A round, which the company is currently in the process of closing by end-July at a valuation of $250 million, confirmed founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

About the Garuda Aerospace: The company provides low-cost drone-based solutions and has designed drones for 38 diverse applications, including sanitisation, agriculture spraying, mapping, industries, security, delivery and surveillance. Garuda has also forayed into the defence sector by bagging a significant order for 33 anti-drone systems for the ministry of defence.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. MIFF 2022: ‘Turn Your Body to the Sun’ bags Golden Conch award for the Best Documentary: The Dutch documentary film “Turn Your Body to the Sun”, has won the prestigious Golden Conch award for the Best Documentary Film at MIFF 2022. Directed by Aliona Van der Horst, ‘Turn Your Body to the Sun’ brings to light the incredible life story of a Soviet soldier of Tatar descent, who was captured by the Nazis during World War II. Through his diaries as well as various personal and public archives and registries, his daughter Sana attempts to trace the path of her father to understand what made him the man she knew as a child. Other categories:

a)      Best Short-fiction: In the Short Fiction category, Malayalam film ‘Saakshatkaaram’ shares the Silver Conch award with Gudmund Helsmsal’s ‘Brother Troll’ a film from Faroe Islands of Denmark.

b)      Saakshatkaaram (Malayalam) by Sudesh Balan, takes film lovers into the inner struggles and journey of a man mourning his beloved wife’s death and invites them to partake and inspired by his search for redemption.

c)       Best Animation Film: ‘Prince in a Pastry Shop’ directed by Polish filmmaker Katarzyna Agopsowicz, won the Silver Conch for Best Animation Film in International Competition category. ‘Prince in a Pastry Shop’ is a seemingly humorous story about happiness.

d)      It is a philosophical parable about a couple eating cakes in a café touching upon fundamental issues that are close to everyone – the elusiveness of happiness. The award carries a Silver Conch, a certificate and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs, to be shared equally between the director and the producer.

e)      Most Innovative / Experimental Film’: ‘Closed to the Light’ directed and produced by Italian film-maker Nicola Piovesan won the ‘Pramod Pati – Most Innovative / Experimental Film’ in this edition. Nicola Piovesan will get Rs.1,00,000 cash prize along with a trophy and certificate.

f)        Special mention by International Jury: ‘Ghar Ka Pata’ by Madhulika Jalali and the Films Division production ‘Who Says The Lepchas Are Vanishing? ’ by Abhuydaya Khaitan got the special mention by International Jury.

 

2. Indian Railways awarded by the UIC International Sustainable Railway Awards (ISRA): Indian Railways is observing World Environment Day on 5th June, 2022 in an appropriate and befitting manner keeping in line with the theme of this year’s World Environment Day. In a gala ceremony, in Berlin, Indian Railways have been awarded by the UIC International Sustainable Railway Awards (ISRA) in the category of “Best use of Zero-Carbon Technology” for feeding Solar Energy directly to 25 KV AC Traction System.

Railways is an environmental friendly means of bulk transportation. For environment protection, Railways have been continuously taking major initiatives that have positive impact on the environment by way of reducing pollution/GHG emissions, promoting resources and energy efficiency and contributing to sustainability.

Daily GK Update- 6th June, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar launched the Scheme “SHRESHTA”: Union Minister of social Justice and empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar has launched the Scheme “SHRESHTA”-Scheme for residential education for students in High school in Targeted Areas. The Scheme for Residential Education for Students in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) has been formulated with the objective to provide quality education and opportunities for even the poorest.

About the SHRESHTA Scheme:

a)      Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) provides for high quality education for meritorious but poor SC students in CBSE-affiliated reputed residential schools across the country.

b)      Approximately 3,000 seats are provided each year for admission in class 9th and 11th and the entire cost of the school fee and residential charges are borne by the Department.

c)       The students, belonging to Scheduled Castes, studying in class 8th and 10th in the current academic year are eligible for availing the benefits of scheme are selected through a transparent mechanism through a National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission in class 9th and 11th.

d)      Students belonging to marginalized income group within the SC community, whose parental annual income is upto Rs.2.5 Lakh are eligible. Successful candidates, after following the e-counselling process, are given admission in the school of their choice anywhere in the Country for their academic persuasion.

e)      The Department shall bear the total cost of the school fee and hostel charges till completion of their academic upto class 12th. There after the students of the scheme may avail benefits of other schemes of the Department fortheir higher education.

 

2. Rajasthan’s Special Health Care Abhiyan ‘Anchal’ launched for pregnant women: In Rajasthan, a Special Health Care Abhiyan ‘Anchal’ has been launched in the Karauli district for pregnant women. More than 13 thousand women have benefited from this Abhiyan. During the campaign, 13,144 pregnant women were tested for their hemoglobin levels, out of which 11,202 were found to be anemic. These women were advised to take the right medicine and necessary nutritious diet. They were also advised to keep themselves stress-free.

About the Anchal Campaign: This unique campaign was started on the initiative of District Collector Ankit Kumar Singh to ensure all necessary medical aid to pregnant women at the pre and post-natal stage so that maternal and infant mortality rates could be reduced. Under this campaign, it is also ensured that the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife and ASHA workers in the district will keep in constant contact with the pregnant women of their respective areas and provide them with necessary counseling and treatment as and when required.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

 

3. Tamil Nadu Govt signed MoU with IPPB for pensioner’s digital life certificate: The Tamil Nadu government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) for obtaining life certificate from pensioners through doorstep services of the Postal Department. IPPB would transfer it to the doorstep services at a cost of Rs 70 per digital life certificate. Almost most than 7.15 lakh State government pensioners/ family pensioners submit their life certificate during July, August and September every year.

Key Points:

a)      Recently, the State government issued orders for five modes of annual mustering of pensioners during July to September this year, including the doorstep services of the IPPB, for obtaining digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan Portal to avoid hardship of coming in person for aged pensioners/family pensioners.

b)      As of now, mustering can be done by pensioners/family pensioners by exercising any one of three options—direct mustering (physical appearance); submission of life certificate through post; and digital life certificate (DLC) through Jeevan Pramaan Portal by using biometric device. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, exemption from annual mustering was granted during the last two years.

Note: India Post Payments Bank CEO: J. Venkatramu; India Post Payments Bank Headquarters location: New Delhi; India Post Payments Bank Founded: 1 September 2018.

 

4. Meghalaya Wins Best Project Award at UN World Summit: The Meghalaya government key initiative of e-proposal system, part of Meghalaya Enterprise Architect has won a coveted UN Award- World Summit on the Information Society Forum (WSIS) prize at Geneva in Switzerland. Secretary General of ITU, Houlin Zhao presented the winner award to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the WSIS Forum Prizes 2022, held at Geneva, Switzerland. Post this there was voting to select the best 90 projects which were invited in Geneva, Switzerland for the final award.

Meghalaya contested with projects from Australia, China, Argentina and Tanzania. Meghalaya was declared as the best project in the category and MeghEA is the only project from India to win the Winner Award this year.

About the MeghEA project: MeghEA project is being implemented by Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya. The project has several components such as Government to Citizen or Business services, Government to Employee services and Government to Government services.E-Proposal system, part of the Government-to-Government component, enables faster processing and tracking of schemes.

Note: Meghalaya Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma; Meghalaya Capital: Shillong; Meghalaya Governor: Satya Pal Malik.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UN approves Turkey’s request to change name to Turkiye: The United Nations has changed the Republic of Turkey’s country name at the organisation from “Turkey” to “Türkiye”, following a request from Ankara for the change. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric had been received from the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu addressed to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, requesting the use of “Türkiye” instead of “Turkey” for all affairs.

Turkey began the move to change its internationally recognised official name in English to Türkiye in December after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan released a memorandum and asked the public to use Türkiye to describe the country in every language. Türkiye is the best representation and expression of the Turkish people’s culture, civilization and values.

 

Note: Turkiye Capital: Ankara; President of Turkiye: Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Turkiye Currency: Turkish lira.

 

2. Russian Language Day: 6th June: The UN Russian Language Day is observed annually on 06 June. It is one of the six official languages used by the United Nations throughout the Organization. The day was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010. June 6, the birthday of the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin, as part of the program to support and develop multilingualism and cultural diversity, the UN celebrates the Day of the Russian Language.

One of the goals of this program is to maintain the equality of all six official languages ​​of the UN: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French. The decision to hold language days was taken by the Department of Public Information (now the Department of Global Communications) on the eve of International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually on February 21 at the initiative of UNESCO.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC ties up with Accenture for digital transformation: NBFC giant, HDFC has announced the collaboration with global information technology services and consulting firm, Accenture to digitally transform its lending business. The tie-up will revamp HDFC’s customer experience and business processes to provide greater operational agility and efficiency, and drive business growth. About the collaboration:

a)      The collaboration is aimed at making HDFC’s lending lifecycle paperless and nimble. HDFC highlighted that a key element of the program is a cloud-native lending platform with digital workflows for every step of the customer journey including application, loan processing, credit underwriting and decisions, disbursement, and loan servicing.

b)      It leverages a machine learning-based decision engine aimed at improving risk mitigation and driving agility by standardizing the credit underwriting process.

c)       Further, the platform includes a user-friendly mobile application and a web-based portal for customers. Developed using human-centric design principles, the intuitive mobile application and web portal will enable digital-native experiences and significantly reduce the time taken for customer onboarding.

d)      Also, the platform will offer customers real-time visibility into their home loan application status and other related service requests anytime, anywhere.

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.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Govt ratifies 8.1 pc EPF interest rate for 2021-22: The government has approved 8.1 per cent rate of interest on employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for 2021-22, an over four-decade low for about five crore subscribers of retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Earlier in March this year, EPFO had decided to lower the interest on provident fund deposits for 2021-22 to 8.1 per cent from 8.5 per cent provided in 2020-21.

About EPFO: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation is the statutory body under the Government of India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment, which is responsible for regulation and management of provident funds in India. The EPFO administers the mandatory provident fund.

Note: EPFO Founded: 4 March 1952, New Delhi; EPFO Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

2. Tata Projects wins bid to build UP’s Jewar Airport: Tata Projects will build the national capital region’s new airport at Jewar, after outbidding the Shapoorji Pallonji Group and Larsen & Toubro for the contract. While the deal size has not been disclosed, sources pegged it at over Rs 6,000 crore. Tata Projects, the infrastructure and construction arm of the Tata group, will construct the terminal, runway, airside infrastructure, roads, utilities, landside facilities and other ancillary buildings at the Noida International Airport.

About the contract: The new airport is expected to be functional by 2024. With the closure of the EPC contract, the first phase of the airport is on track to be delivered within three years of the commencement of the concession period. According to the contract terms for the Jewar airport, a fine of Rs 10 lakh per day will be levied on the developer of the upcoming Noida International Airport in case of a project delay.

Note: Tata Headquarters: Mumbai; Tata Founder: J. R. D. Tata; Tata Founded: 1945, Mumbai.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India-Bangladesh joint military Sampriti-X exercise begins: India-Bangladesh bilateral defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise Ex SAMPRITI-X is being conducted at Jashore Military Station in Bangladesh from 05 June to 16 June 2022. The aim of the exercise is to strengthen interoperability between the two armies and to understand each other’s tactical drills and operational techniques. About the Ex SAMPRITI-X:

a)      The Indian contingent of company strength is being represented by a Battalion of the DOGRA Regiment and the contingent departed by road for the exercise location on 4 Jun 2022.

b)      During the joint military exercise Ex Sampriti-X, armies of both the Nations will share expertise in multiple simulated scenarios of Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief and UN Peacekeeping Force under UN mandate.

c)       Exercise Sampriti is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour conducted alternately by both countries which aims to strengthen and widen the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between both the armies.

 

2. IAF heritage centre to come up in Chandigarh 2022: A heritage centre to showcase the role of the Indian Air Force in various wars and its overall functioning will come up at Chandigarh. The ‘IAF Heritage Centre’ will be set up jointly by the force and the Chandigarh administration. An MoU between the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the IAF for setting up of the centre was inked. The ceremony was attended by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.

About the heritage centre: This heritage centre will have artefact, simulators and interactive boards to highlight various facets of IAF. It will also showcase the vital role played by the service in various wars and assistance rendered for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. This joint project of Administration of UT Chandigarh and IAF is planned to be completed by October.

Note: Indian Airforce founded: 08th October 1932; Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Airforce Chief of Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

Daily GK Update- 5th June, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Punjab Government to Start e-Stamp Instead Of Paper Stamp: The Punjab government has decided to abolish the physical stamp papers in an attempt to bring efficiency and check the pilferage of State revenue. Punjab Revenue Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa launched the ‘e-stamp facility’ here. Following this, stamp paper of any denomination can now be obtained via ‘e-stamp’, which includes computerised print-out from any stamp vendor or from banks authorised by the State government.

Step was taken because: The Punjab government will pay a commission of 2% to the stamp vendors on e-stamps ranging from Rs 1 to Rs 19,999, while the general public would get stamp paper at the actual rate. For instance, they will have to pay only Rs 100 for a stamp paper of Rs 100 and no extra commission will be levied. This step will also help in curbing the stamp paper-linked fraud.

Note: Punjab Governor: Banwarilal Purohit; Punjab Speaker: Kultar Singh Sandhwan; Punjab Chief Justice: Ravi Shankar Jha.

 

2. Delhi govt to name colonies & streets after Babasaheb Ambedkar: Following the Central government’s guideline advising against the usage of the word ‘Harijan’, the Delhi government is set to replace the word ‘Harijan’ from names of colonies & streets and name them after Babasaheb Ambedkar instead. In this vein, Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam has tabled a proposal to rename all streets and colonies under Delhi Government titled as ‘Harijan’ after Dr Ambedkar. The Social Welfare Minister also chaired an important meeting in this regard with senior officials to expedite the process with officials from the concerned departments to act on the matter and issue a notification on the same. The Delhi Government strives to uplift the SC, ST, and OBC communities living in the national capital.

Note: Delhi Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal; Delhi Governor: Vinai Kumar Saxena.

 

3. Country’s First Liquid Mirror Telescope Comes Up in Uttarakhand: The first liquid mirror telescope in the country and the largest in Asia – was commissioned atop Devasthal, a hill in Uttarakhand. This will now keep a watch on the overhead sky to identify transient or variable objects such as supernovae, gravitational lenses, space debris, and asteroids.

About the Indian Liquid Mirror Telescope:

a)      The Indian Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) will help in surveying the sky, making it possible to observe several galaxies and other astronomical sources just by staring at the strip of sky that passes overhead.

b)      Built by astronomers from India, Belgium and Canada, the novel instrument employs a 4-meter-diameter rotating mirror made up of a thin film of liquid mercury to collect and focus light.

c)       It is located at an altitude of 2,450 metres at the Devasthal Observatory campus of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India in Nainital district, Uttarakhand.

d)      The scientists from the three countries spun a pool of mercury, which is a reflective liquid so that the surface curved into a parabolic shape. It is ideal for focusing light. A thin transparent film of mylar protects the mercury from the wind. The reflected light passes through a sophisticated multi-lens optical corrector that produces sharp images over a wide field of view. A large-format electronic camera located at the focus records the images.

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

 

4. ISRO chairman inaugurates new spacecraft manufacturing facility: Dr S Somanath, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inaugurated ANANTH Technologies’ spacecraft manufacturing unit at Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) Aerospace Park. The new state-of-the-art spacecraft manufacturing facility can conduct assembly integration and testing of four large spacecraft simultaneously. This is a first of its kind facility in India, adding that since its establishment in 1992, Ananth Technologies has contributed to the manufacturing of 89 satellites and 69 launch vehicles built/launched by ISRO.

Key highlights:

a)      The 15,000 sqm facility is capable of conducting the assembly, integration and testing of four large spacecraft at the same time, with four separate units present within the facility.

b)      Over the years, ANANTH Technologies has successfully contributed to major launches of ISRO. Our technology acumen is such that none of the sub-systems supplied by ANANTH Technologies has ever failed in orbit.

Note: ISRO Founded: 15 August 1969; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru; ISRO Chairman: S Somanath.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Instagram’s new feature to help find missing children: Instagram has launched an ‘alert’ feature to help find missing children. The photo-sharing app has partnered with various organisations globally to set up the feature. The feature will display details about missing children on users’ Instagram feed if they are in a specific area where an active search is taking place. Key points of the new feature:

a)      The alerts on the Meta-owned platform will include details such as a child’s photo, description, and location of the abduction. Instagram will show users alerts based on information like their IP address and location services (if it is turned on), it noted.

b)      The social media platform said it has developed the child emergency alert feature in collaboration with organisations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the U.S., the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, the National Crime Agency in the U.K., the Attorney General’s Office in Mexico, the Australian Federal Police, among others.

 

2. World Environment Day: 5th June: World Environment Day is observed globally on 5th June every year. This day is observed to raise awareness about protecting the environment and to remind people not to take nature granted. The year 2022 marks the 50th WED. Sweden is the host this year and the theme is ‘Only One Earth,’ focusing on the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature. Only One Earth was the motto for the 1972 Stockholm Conference; 50 years on, the motto holds true – this planet is our only home, whose finite resources humanity must safeguard.

History of the World Environment Day: The idea of WED can be traced back to a warm June in Stockholm, Sweden, 50 years ago. That’s when the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment took place. Widely regarded as the first global environment summit, it was here that the idea of a World Environment Day was formalized, with the first one held in 1973. Since then, the annual event, which falls on June 5, has helped both celebrate the planet and put a spotlight on the perils it is facing.

 

3. International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: 5th June: International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing is organized every year on 5th June. The day is the opportunity to draw attention to the threats posed by IUU fishing activities to the sustainable use of fisheries resources as well as to ongoing efforts to fight these activities.

History of the day: In 2015, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of the FAO proposed that an initiative be launched to declare an International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. Following extensive consultations, a proposal was submitted to the attention of the thirty-second session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries. In December 2017 the UN General Assembly in its annual resolution on sustainable fisheries proclaimed 5 June as the “International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.”

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Former SBI MD Ashwani Bhatia takes charge as whole-time member at SEBI: Ashwani Bhatia has taken charge as a whole-time member (WTM) at the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Bhatia was previously the managing director of the state-owned State Bank of India (SBI). After Bhatia’s joining, Sebi now has three WTMs. The government is yet to appoint the fourth member. The market regulator functioned with just two WTMs for the past seven months after Sebi’s current chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch’s tenure as WTM ended on October 4, 2021, and G. Mahalingam demitted office on November 8, 2021.

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

 

2. Punjab & Sind Bank MD & CEO S Krishnan retires: Punjab & Sind Bank Limited, an Indian nationalised bank, announced that it’s MD & CEO, S Krishnan to retire from the role, with effect from May 31, 2022. He was appointed as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Punjab & Sind Bank from the date of assumption of office till the date of his superannuation, i.e. 31.05.2022 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. It is now informed that Shri S Krishnan has retired upon his superannuation on 31.05.2022.

S Krishnan, a postgraduate in Commerce (M.Com) and qualified Cost Accountant (ICMA), took charge as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of Punjab & Sind Bank on 4th September 2020. Prior to joining Punjab & Sind Bank as MD & CEO, Krishnan was Executive Director of Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank. He started his carrier in Indian Bank in January 1983. He has a long and varied field of banking and administrative experience of nearly 38 years.

Note: Punjab & Sind Bank Limited Headquarters: New Delhi; Punjab & Sind Bank Limited Founder: Vir Singh; Punjab & Sind Bank Limited Founded: 24 June 1908.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s economic growth expected to be 8.7% in FY22, Q4 GDP to be 4.1 %: India’s economic growth fell to 4.1 percent in January-March 2021-22, a four-quarter low, reflecting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic’s Omicron wave on the manufacturing sector and contact-intensive services. The National Statistical Office reduced its year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the full fiscal year 2021-22 to 8.7%, down from 8.9% anticipated in February. In the years 2020-21, the economy shrank by 6.6 percent.

In Q4 of FY22, private final consumption expenditure — a measure of individual consumption of goods and services – increased by 1.8% year on year. Gross fixed capital creation (GFCG) increased by 5.1 percent, which is a proxy for investment activity. Government final consumption expenditure increased by 4.8 percent in January-March, bolstering the economy.

Gross Value Added (GVA) increased by 8.1 percent in FY22, compared to a decline of 4.8 percent the previous year. In nominal terms, which account for inflation, GDP is expected to expand by 19.5%, compared to a fall of 1.4% last year.

 

2. Javier Olivan Taking Over as the Meta New Chief Operating Officer: Javier Olivan, the current chief growth officer at Meta Platforms, will take over as the company’s chief operating officer after Sheryl Sandberg stepped down from the post. Olivan has been with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, for several years, contributing to its explosive expansion. Olivan will be responsible for the advertising and business products while continuing to head infrastructure and corporate development.

Note: Meta CEO: Mark Zuckerberg; Meta Founded: February 2004, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Indian American Harini Logan Wins 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee: Harini Logan was eliminated from the Scripps National Spelling Bee once, then reinstated. She missed four words in a gruelling standoff against Vikram Raju, including one that would have given her the title. In the first-ever lightning-round tiebreaker, Harini finally claimed the trophy. The 13-year-old eighth-grader from San Antonio, Texas, who competed in the last fully in-person bee three years ago and endured the pandemic to make it back, spelt 21 words correctly during a 90-second spell-off, beating Vikram by six.

Harini, one of the best-known spellers entering the bee and a crowd favourite for her poise and positivity, wins more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. She is the fifth Scripps champion to be coached by Grace Walters, a former speller, fellow Texan and student at Rice University who is considering bowing out of the coaching business. If so, she will depart on top.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Santoor maestro Bhajan Sopori passes away: Santoor maestro and Padma Shri awardee, Bhajan Sopori has passed away at the age of 73. The santoor player was born in Sopore in Kashmir Valley in 1948 and belonged to the Sufiana Gharana of Indian classical music. He was the great-grandson of Pandit Shankar Pandit, who had developed the style popularly known as the ‘Sufi Baaj’ (style), based on Sufiana Qalam and Hindustani Classical music. Hailed as ‘Saint of the Santoor’ and the ‘King of Strings’, Sopori won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 2004. In 2009 he was honoured with the Baba Allaudin Khan Award and M N Mathur award in 2011 for his contribution to Indian classical music.

 

2. Freedom fighter Anjalai Ponnusamy passes away: Freedom fighter Anjalai Ponnusamy, who fought for India’s independence from colonial Britain, died, aged 102. At the age of 21, Anjalai joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment – the women’s regiment of the Indian National Army – in the hopes of discarding the yoke of British colonialism from the Indian people.

A prominent figure in the struggle for India’s independence, Bose was a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi, who shared his dream of an India free from British rule. To accomplish this, he founded the Indian National Army in 1943, albeit with the support of the Japanese, during World War II. After the war ended with the Japanese defeat, the Indian National Army was disbanded, and Anjalai returned home to continue her life in Malaysia.

Daily GK Update- 4th June, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister Anurag Thakur Launches Nationwide Fit India Freedom Rider Cycle Rally: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur has launched a nationwide ‘Fit India Freedom Rider Cycle rally’ on World Bicycle Day. Thakur said that by riding a bicycle we can accomplish the goal of the Fit India Movement, the Khelo India movement, the Clean India movement & Healthy India movement. Fit India Movement, Khelo India movement, Clean India movement & Healthy India movement all can be accomplished by riding a bicycle. It’ll also cut down the pollution level.

Notably, World Bicycle Day is observed on June 3 every year to promote the use of bicycles and their benefits. The World Health Organization (WHO) is of the opinion that providing bicycles to the world’s poorest people and communities will help in the prevention of 1.5 million premature deaths and 5 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

 

2. Senior IPS Zulfiquar Hasan Becomes the New DG of BCAS: Senior IPS officer, Zulfiquar Hasan has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The official order stated that Zulfiquar Hasan has been appointed “for a tenure up to his superannuation on 31.10.2024”. West Bengal-cadre 1988-batch IPS officer, Zulfiquar Hasan has been serving as the Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi. The post of the Director-General, BCAS has been vacant since January 4 after incumbent Nasir Kamal opted for voluntary retirement.

Note: Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Founded: January 1978.

 

3. Centre Appoints S L Thaosen as Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal: A 1988-batch Indian Police Service officer S L Thaosen has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Thaosen, a Madhya Pradesh-cadre IPS officer, has been serving as the Special Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF). The Sashastra Seema Bal force guards the country’s borders with Nepal (1,751 km) and Bhutan (699 km).

The post of SSB chief has been lying vacant after incumbent DG Kumar Rajesh Chandra retired on December 31 last year. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) DG Sanjay Arora has been holding the additional charge of the Sashastra Seema Bal DG since then.

Note: Sashastra Seema Bal Founded: 1963; Sashastra Seema Bal Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

4. Sachin Tendulkar to continue as UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador for 20th year: Sachin Tendulkar will continue as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ for a record 20th year, working for the welfare of underprivileged children. The iconic cricketer has been associated with UNICEF for a long for various causes. In his almost two-decade-long partnership with UNICEF, he has been vital in furthering the campaigns, especially the ones aimed at providing a better future for underprivileged children. Key points:

a)      In 2003, he was chosen to take lead in the initiative to create awareness and promote polio prevention in India.

b)      Later in 2008, he was roped in to create and promote hygiene and sanitation among communities and has been continuing to do so over the years.

c)       In 2013, he was appointed UNICEF Ambassador for South Asia to advocate good hygiene and sanitation across the region.

d)      In 2019, he went on a three-day trip to Nepal to raise awareness for UNICEF Nepal’s ‘Bat for Brain Development’ campaign.

Note: UNICEF Headquarters: New York, New York, United States; UNICEF Head: Catherine M. Russell; UNICEF President: Tore Hattrem; UNICEF Founded: 11 December 1946.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US Frontier Overtakes Japan’s Fugaku As World’s Most Powerful Supercomputer: According to the 59th edition of the Top500 list of the world’s most powerful supercomputers unveiled by Germany, ORNL’s Supercomputer Frontier from the US, a supercomputer built using Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) architecture and equipped with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors, outperformed Japan’s Supercomputer Fugaku to become the world’s fastest supercomputer. Frontier’s nearest competitor, Fugaku, has a performance score of 442 petaflops on the Linpack benchmark, a standard for officially ranking global, publicly disclosed supercomputers. While Fugaku was based on Arm’s core designs, US’s Frontier is powered by AMD.

The supercomputer: Frontier: The supercomputer – Frontier, which was built for the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has broken the exascale speed barrier with a Linmark benchmark score of 1.1 exaflops, making it the world’s first supercomputer to do so. Whereas, 1 exaflop is equivalent to 1,000 petaflops. Frontier features a total of 8,730,112 cores and is designed on the newest HPE Cray EX235a architecture with AMD EPYC 64C 2GHz processors. Frontier is also ranked number one as the world’s most energy-efficient supercomputer, on the Green500 list.

 

2. International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression: 4th June: Every year on June 4th, the United Nations (UN) observes the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression to raise awareness of the children who have been victims of physical, mental, and emotional abuse around the world. On this day, the United Nations reaffirms its commitment to preserve children’s rights.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression History: The very first International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression was observed on August 19, 1982. At the time, the day was focused on victims of the Lebanon War. In 1982 Lebanon war, Israel’s forces invaded southern Lebanon after repeated attacks and counterattacks between Palestine Liberation Organisation and Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The invasion was carried out after the assassination attempt of Israeli ambassador.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mens Hockey Asia Cup: India win bronze with 1-0 win over Japan: India defeated Japan 1-0 to win bronze at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup 2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Japan had seven penalty corners while India had just two but India led the circle penetration stats 11-10. India were down to 10 men in the last minute of the match but they managed to hold on and win their second bronze medal at the Asia Cup.

This was India’s 10th medal from the 11 editions of the continental meet held so far. India, champions in 2003, 2007 and 2017, have finished runners-up on five occasions and have won the bronze medal twice. Indian captain Birendra Lakra was declared man of the match in the bronze medal playoff.

In the finals of Asia Cup 2022: South Korea dashed Malaysia’s hopes of a maiden Hero Asia Cup trophy as they reigned supreme with a thrilling 2-1 final victory here at the GBK Sports Arena. This is the fifth time the Korean side have lifted the prestigious trophy. They have won the title in 1994, 1999, 2009 and 2013.

 

2. Amit Shah laid foundation stone for an Olympic-level sports complex in Ahmedabad: The government wants to have international level grounds and venues for all sports for the Olympics in Ahmedabad with the Sardar Patel Sports Complex, Narendra Modi Stadium, Naranpura Sports Complex, and three more sports complexes. Amit Shah, the Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, laid the foundation stone for an Olympic-level sports complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Sunday (29 May) at a cost of Rs 632 crore. Key Points:

a)      The world-class sports stadium is set across 18 acres in Ahmedabad’s Naranpura neighbourhood, with facilities for playing and training in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including swimming. It can also accommodate up to 7,000 people at once.

b)      This enormous sports facility with over 1.15 lakh square metres of built up area includes an indoor sports arena, a community sports arena, and an aquatic stadium.

c)       The BJP-led central and state administrations hope that the presence of the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Sardar Patel Sports Complex, and the Naranpura Sports Complex will make Ahmedabad a city where Olympic preparations may be made.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Former SBI officer Natarajan Sundar joins NARCL as MD & CEO: Former State Bank of India executive Natarajan Sundar joined National Assets Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) as Managing Director and CEO on May 30. Sundar is a banking veteran having served SBI for over 37 years and retired as Dy MD and Chief Credit Officer of the bank.

Other appointments: NARCL appointed Mr Karnam Sekar as the Independent Director and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. Sekar was the MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank from July 2019 to June 2020. Earlier he was MD and CEO of Dena Bank from Sep 2018 until its merger in April 2019.

About the NARCL: NARCL, a special purpose vehicle set up as a joint initiative of Public and Private Sector Banks, is expected to take over bad loans from banks and focus on resolution and recoveries. NARCL has shareholding from 15 Indian Banks and Canara Bank is the sponsor bank of this ARC. Together with IDRCL, they are presently engaged in completing the financial and legal due diligence of the identified accounts for takeover from lenders.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. LIC Launches Savings Life Insurance Plan Bima Ratna: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), India’s largest insurer, has launched “Bima Ratna” – a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings life insurance plan. The new plan, which is aimed at the domestic market, provides both protection and savings. Key Features of LIC’s Bima Ratna Plan:

a)      Bima Ratna can be purchased through Corporate Agents, Insurance Marketing Firms (IMF), Brokers, CPSC-SPV, and POSP-LI employed by these intermediaries namely Corporate Agents, Insurance Marketing Firms (IMF), and Brokers

b)      The key features of the plan include Death benefits, Survival benefits, Maturity benefits, Guaranteed Additions, Settlement Options, Grace Period and Revival solutions among other things.

c)       The Bima Ratna plan from LIC provides financial assistance to the policyholder’s family in the case of the policyholder’s untimely death during the policy term. It offers for periodic payments for the policyholder’s survival at specified intervals to address various financial demands.

d)      The plan also addresses liquidity requirements through a loan facility.

e)      Premiums can be paid on a yearly, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly basis (monthly premiums can only be paid through the National Automated Clearing House (NACH)) or by deductions from salary.

Note: LIC Chairperson: M R Kumar; LIC Headquarters: Mumbai; LIC Founded: 1 September 1956.

 

2. US Overtakes China as India’s Largest Trading Partner in FY22: The United States overtook China to become India’s top trading partner in 2021-22, reflecting strong economic ties between the two countries. According to commerce ministry data, in 2021-22, bilateral trade between the US and India stood at US$ 119.42 billion as against US$ 80.51 billion in 2020-21. Exports to the US increased to US$ 76.11 billion in 2021-22 from US$ 51.62 billion in the previous fiscal, while imports rose to US$ 43.31 billion as compared to around US$ 29 billion in 2020-21. During 2021-22, India’s two-way commerce with China aggregated at $115.42 billion as compared to $86.4 billion in 2020-21. Exports to China marginally increased to $21.25 billion last fiscal year from $21.18 billion in 2020-21, while imports jumped to $94.16 billion from about $65.21 billion in 2020-21.

India’s Top Trading Partners 2021-22: In 2021-22, the UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner with USD 72.9 billion. It is followed by Saudi Arabia (USD 42.85 billion) as 4th, Iraq (USD 34.33 billion) as 5th, & Singapore (USD 30 billion) as its 6th largest trading partner.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Sanjit Narwekar conferred with V Shantaram Lifetime achievement award at MIFF 2022: The 17th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival of India (MIFF 2022) confers Dr V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award on noted author and documentary filmmaker Shri Sanjit Narwekar to commemorate his exquisitely deep, remarkably diverse and inspiring body of work. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles Piyush Goyal presented the award to Sanjit Narwekar along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs (Rs 1 million), Golden Conch and a citation.

 

2. RJ Umar receives the Immunisation Champion award by UNICEF: Radio Jockey Umar Nisar (RJ Umar) from South Kashmir, has been awarded the ’01 Best Content Award’ and the Immunization Champion award by United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) at the annual Radio4Child 2022 Awards in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The award was presented by multi-Grammy Award-winning music composer, environmentalist, and UNICEF celebrity supporter Ricky Kej, OIC UNICEF, UP Dr Zafrin Chowdhury, chief of communications and advocacy and partnerships, UNICEF India. The award has been conferred to Umar for his work of providing awareness and countering rumours to reach audiences during the pandemic.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Bollywood Singer KK dies after performing at Kolkata concert: Noted Bollywood singer KK (Krishnakumar Kunnath) who mesmerized music lovers for over three decades is no more. The 53-year-old singer died in Kolkata after a live performance. KK was regarded as one of the top singers of Bollywood. KK sang in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Assamese.

KK sang numerous hit songs in various films. Some of KK’s most popular songs that remain his best songs include Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai (Gangster), Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), Awarapan Banjarapan (Jism), Aankhon Mein Teri Ajab Si (Om Shanti Om) and Khuda Jaane (Bachna Ae Haseeno). His song Yaaron, released in 1999, made him a household name.