Daily GK Update- 6th July, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurated Digital India Week 2022 at Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Digital India Week 2022 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The theme of this Digital India Week is ‘Catalyzing New India’s Techade’ to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Digital India Week 2022 will also have a three-day long orientation program ‘India Stack Knowledge Exchange- Showcasing India Stack and India’s Digital Products and Service’ from 7th July. Key Highlights:

a)      Mr. Modi has also launched ‘Digital India Bhashini’ that will enable Indians an easy access to the internet and digital services in vernacular languages.

b)      He also launched ‘Digital India GENESIS’ – Gen-next Support for Innovative Startups- a national deep-tech startup platform. The total budget of 750 crore rupees has been envisaged for these schemes.

c)       The Prime Minister has also dedicated ‘MyScheme’, which will provide access to government schemes at a single place.

About The Digital India Week 2022 Programme: The Digital India Week 2022 programme will demonstrate the digital platforms like Aadhaar, UPI, Cowin and Digilocker among others which have provided ease of life to the citizens. Startups, government leaders and industry and academia experts will participate in this programme. An exhibition with more than 200 stalls has been set up at Mahatma Mandir by Indian unicorns and startups. Prime Minister Modi also visited this exhibition and interacted with the people connected with startups and unicorns.

 

2. Start-up ranking 2021: Gujarat, Karnataka emerges as best performers: Gujarat and Karnataka emerged the “best performers” in the third edition of States’ Start-up ranking, 2021, while Meghalaya bagged the top honour among Northeastern (NE) states. In the second edition of the survey, which was conducted in 2020, Gujarat was the best performer. The rankings are based on the initiatives taken to develop the startup ecosystem for promoting entrepreneurs. These initiatives include the Startup India initiative, multiple funding and incubation support, and the government announcing January 16 as Startup Day. Key Points:

a)      Top performers among the larger states include Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana.

b)      Among smaller states and UTs, Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the top performer.

c)       Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa are in the leaders category.

d)      States and UTs in the aspiring leaders’ category include Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Nagaland.

 

3. CBSE launches Pariksha Sangam portal to streamline board examination results: The CBSE Board has launched a portal called ‘Pariksha Sangam’ to streamline board examination results, sample papers, and other details in one single window. According to cbsedigitaleducation.com, the newly launched Pariksha Sangam portal “will integrate various examination-related processes to be conducted by the school’s regional offices and the Headquarters of the CBSE Board”.

Pariksha Sangam: Pariksha Sangam is another portal where students will be able to check Class 10th and Class 12th board results easily. The Pariksha Sangam has been divided into three main sections: Schools (Ganga), Regional offices (Yamuna), and Head office (Saraswati). The Pariksha Sangam portal will streamline all the activities related to CBSE Board Result 2022 for classes 10th and 12th. For instance CBSE circular, Latest CBSE news, reference material, sample paper, model paper, Question Bank, school results, and much more.

a)      Pariksha Sangam Schools (Ganga) section: Under this section, students and all other stakeholders will be able to access exam reference material, information about pre-exam and exam activities, school DigiLocker and post-exam activities, communication, and an integrated payment system (IPS).

b)      Pariksha Sangam Regional offices (Yamuna) section: In this section, CBSE aspirants will find information about RO Dashboards for Command, Control, E-Sandesh, Integrated Payment Monitoring for Term 1 and Data Management, Historical Information Repository of Schools, etc.

c)       Pariksha Sangam Head office (Saraswati) section: Under this section, students will find information regarding Exam Reference Material, Pre-Exam Dates/MIS, Exam Conduct MIS, Post Exam Data, Centralized LOC Correction, CMTM, and many more.

 

4. PM Modi unveils 30-ft statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 30-feet bronze statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district on the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter. The 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju, along with 100 years of ‘Rampa Kranti’ will be celebrated throughout the year marking 75 years of Independence.

About the Alluri Sitarama Raju: Believed to have been born in present-day Andhra Pradesh in 1897 or 1898, Alluri Sitarama Raju is known for leading guerrilla resistance against the British in the region at a very early age. According to Dr Murali Atlury, a professor of history at the University of Hyderabad, at the age of 18, Raju became a sanyasi and began visiting the hill and tribal areas of the region. Raju was not a tribal himself, but as per Dr Atlury, his “great ability” lay in bringing people from various backgrounds together for the anti-colonial cause. He was eventually captured by the British and executed in 1924.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Lt. General Mohan Subramanian appointed as Force Commander of UN Mission in South Sudan: India’s ​Lieutenant General, Mohan Subramanian has been appointed the Force Commander in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). He succeeds Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India.

Almost 20,000 peacekeepers serve with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to protect civilians and build durable peace in the conflict-affected country. The civilian, police and military personnel from 73 countries carry out many duties under the mandate provided by the United Nations Security Council.

 

2. World Zoonosis Day: 6th July: World Zoonoses Day is marked annually on 6 July to commemorate the first vaccination administered against a zoonotic disease like influenza, ebola and West Nile virus. Zoonotic diseases are caused by viruses, parasites, bacteria and fungi. These germs can lead to several kinds of illnesses, ranging in severity, in people and animals.

World Zoonosis Day History: World Zoonoses Day was instituted on 6 July 1885 to educate and raise awareness about zoonotic diseases that can transmit from animals to humans. It commemorates French biologist Louis Pasteur, who administered the first dose of the first vaccine against rabies.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Elorda Cup: Boxers Alfiya Pathan and Gitika clinch Gold medals: Reigning Youth World Boxing champions Alfiya Pathan and Gitika have won gold medals at the Elorda Cup in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Two other Indian female boxers Kalaivani Srinivasan and Jamuna Boro signed off with silver medals. In the women’s 81-kilogram final, Alfiya thrashed 2016 world champion and a strong contender for the title, Lazzat Kungeibayeva, by a 5-0 margin. Gitika clinched a thrilling 4-1 win over compatriot Kalaivani in an intense all-Indian women’s 48-kg final.

With the addition of two gold, two silver, and 10 bronze medals on the final day, the 33-member Indian contingent concluded its campaign with an overall tally of 14 medals. The tournament witnessed top players in action from countries such as India, Uzbekistan, and hosts Kazakhstan, Cuba, China, and Mongolia.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI imposes monetary penalty on IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1.05 crore and Rs 1 crore on Kotak Mahindra Bank and IndusInd Bank, respectively, for deficiencies in regulatory compliance. RBI’s these penalties are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and are not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

In case of Kotak Mahindra Bank: The RBI found that the private lender failed to maintain margin on advances to stock brokers; credit (shadow reversal) the amount involved in the unauthorised electronic transactions to the customers’ account within 10 working days from the date of notification by the customer; and credit eligible amount to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund within the period prescribed. This was found in a statutory inspection for supervisory evaluation of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial positions as on March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019.

As for IndusInd Bank: The monetary penalty was imposed on it as it failed to adhere to customer due diligence procedure in the accounts opened using OTP based e-KYC, in non-face-to-face mode.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Aviva India appoints Asit Rath as new CEO and MD: Aviva India has appointed Asit Rath as chief executive officer and managing director. Rath will succeed Amit Malik who is leaving the business after 10 years. The appointment will come into effect on July 11. Currently the CEO of Prudential Myanmar Life Insurance, Rath comes with 22 years of banking and insurance experience in India and Myanmar and has strong distribution experience with ICICI Bank and ICICI Prudential Life in India.

About the Aviva Life Insurance Company India Limited: Aviva Life Insurance Company India Limited is a joint venture between Dabur Invest Corp and Aviva International Holdings Limited, a UK-based insurance group. Aviva International has been associated with India since 1834.

 

2. Avanse Financial and Edelweiss collaborate to provide student travel insurance: Avanse Financial Services, an NBFC with an emphasis on education, and Edelweiss General Insurance (EGI) have teamed to offer student travel insurance to international students who are supported by Avanse. Student travel insurance from Edelweiss General Insurance covers medical costs and guards against emergencies and financial losses. The Edelweiss General Insurance plan ensures students have a worry-free time while studying and staying by providing comprehensive coverage against medical, lodging, and travel inconvenience-related covers. Additionally, students will have the option to modify their plan with optional covers in accordance with their demands and university standards.

The number of Indian students choosing to pursue higher education overseas is increasing quickly. According to industry forecasts, this number is anticipated to reach 1.8 million by 2024, increasing spending as a result. According to the company, this makes student travel insurance essential, particularly to cover medical costs given that healthcare costs abroad are far higher than in India.

Note: MD & CEO, Avanse Financial Services: Amit Gainda

Executive director & CEO, Edelweiss General Insurance: Shanai Ghosh

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO conducted successfully tests out Autonomous Aircraft’s Maiden Take-Off: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out the Maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator from Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga in Karnataka. The flight operated in a fully autonomous mode. The aircraft exhibited a perfect flight, including take-off, way point navigation and a smooth touchdown.

Key Points:

a)      The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) powered by a small turbofan engine.

b)      It has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, one of the research laboratories of DRDO.

c)       The focus is now on Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence and the government has urged the armed forces to buy the indigenous platforms and less imports. This year in the Union Budget, Rs 70,221 crore has been set aside for domestic defence procurement, and this accounts for 63 percent of the defence capital budget.

Note: DRDO Founded: 1 January 1958; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Chairman: G. Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Motto: Strength’s Origin is in Knowledge.

 

2. IAF Father-daughter team of fighter pilots makes history: Father and daughter pair Flying Officer Ananya Sharma, who was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021, and Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma, an experienced fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), made aviation history by flying in the same jet formation. At Air Force Station, Bidar, they flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT).

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Bengali filmmaker Tarun Majumdar passes away: Veteran Bengali film director, Tarun Majumdar has passed away at the age of 92. Tarun Majumdar was known for helming popular Bengali films such as Smriti Tuku Thak, Shriman Prithviraj, Kuheli, Balika Badhu, Dadar Kirti, Chander Bari, among others in his lifetime. He created a significant impact in uplifting the Bengali film industry during the 60s, 70s and 80s. Tarun Majumdar was the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 1990. He’s the recipient of four National Awards, 7 BFJA Awards, 5 Filmfare Awards, and an Anandalok Award.

Daily GK Update- 5th July, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Utilizing BiSAG-N app, Steel Ministry interfaces with GatiShakti portal: The Ministry of Steel said that it has joined the PM Gati Shakti Portal and uploaded the geo coordinates of important projects in an effort to detect and address connection gaps in the infrastructure. According to a press release, the ministry registered itself on the National Master Plan portal with the help of the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BiSAG-N) app. Key Points:

a)      All of the central public-sector enterprises’ (CPSE) steel plants’ geolocations have been published to the portal. All of these CPSEs‘ mine locations were in the process of being uploaded.

b)      The ministry also intends to post the locations of the country’s more than 2,000 steel production facilities.

c)       Future updates will also provide more pertinent information, such as production capacity and product specifics for each unit and mine.

d)      38 high-impact projects have been chosen by the steel ministry to create multimodal connectivity and fill in infrastructural shortages.

e)      In order to bring together various ministries for coordinated planning of infrastructure connectivity projects, the Prime Minister introduced the Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Infrastructure Development in October 2021.

 

2. Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Nari Ko Naman’ scheme for women: Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched ‘Naari Ko Naman’ scheme to provide 50 % concession on fares in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses to women commuters within the state boundaries. Seema Thakur, the first woman bus driver in the state, drove him in a state transport bus to the event venue. The chief minister had announced the 50 per cent concession on bus fares to women on April 15, Himachal Day. CM has announced the minimum bus fare will also be reduced from Rs.7 to Rs.5 for all passengers. The government of HP will also sanction 25 new posts for female drivers in ‘Ride With Pride Government Taxi service’. The service is for female passengers and senior citizens of HP.

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

 

3. Rahul Narwekar, the youngest Speaker in the country: Mumbai lawyer and first-time legislator, Rahul Narwekar has been elected as the youngest Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and also becomes the youngest ever in India to hold this august Constitutional post. Narwekar scripted history to become the youngest legislator to be elected as the 16th Speaker (since 1960) and also is now the youngest ever lawmaker to occupy the coveted top legislative post in the country.

Narwekar received a total of 164 votes in support and 107 went to Shiv Sena candidate’s account. During the Speaker elections, 12 members were absent and 3 legislators abstained from the voting. Narwekar (45), a sitting MLA from Colaba, left Shiv Sena in 2014 to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Maval constituency as a NCP candidate. However, he suffered defeat but was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council and remained its member till 2019.

Note: Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Maharashtra Chief minister: Eknath Shinde; Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai.

 

4. BESCOM develops ‘EV Mitra’ mobile app: The Bengaluru Electricity Company BESCOM has developed EV Mitra mobile app to provide information about EV charging stations in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The information on charges in each station for the electric vehicles to recharge are also mentioned in the app. The user-friendly app can be used by electric vehicle users to book in advance a slot in the station.

BESCOM had earlier introduced the EV Jagruthi Web portal as a joint initiative of NITI Ayog and the United Kingdom. The web portal gives state specific information on the availability of electric vehicles, incentives, support mechanisms and initiatives of the state government regarding electric mobility. Key Points:

a)      BESCOM has started 136 charging stations in Bengaluru and another 152 such stations will be started soon.

b)      Under the Public Private Partnership model, tenders have been invited to establish 1000 charging stations across the state.

c)       EV Abhiyan will be held for a week from July 1st to 6th and EV Expo from July 1st to 3rd. On July 2nd EV Rally will be organised from Vidhana Soudha to Palace Grounds to promote EV usage in Bengaluru city.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. S Jaishankar to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Indonesia: The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) will be held in Bali, Indonesia, and it will be attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting’s foreign ministers will discuss topics of current relevance, such as advancing multilateralism and current global concerns, such as the security of food and energy.

Key Points:

a)      Throughout the trip, the external affairs minister is expected to meet informally with his colleagues from other G20 members and invited nations.

b)      India’s interaction with G20 member nations would improve as a result of the EAM’s involvement in the G20 FMM.

c)       India’s participation in the upcoming FMM negotiations has much greater significance as a G20 troika member and as the future G20 Presidency.

d)      India will assume the G-20 presidency on December 1, 2022, and host the inaugural G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2023, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

e)      According to The Express Tribune, India intends to host certain G20 activities in J-K.

f)        Pakistan is urging its close G-20 allies China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia to abstain from the next summit in Jammu & Kashmir.

g)      Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, China, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United States, and United Kingdom are among the G20 nations.

Note: Members of G20 nations: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, China, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United States, and United Kingdom

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Carlos Sainz won the British Grand prix Title 2022: Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz registered his first Formula One win at British Grand Prix 2022, with the Spaniard finishing ahead of the Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Carlos Sainz claimed his first Formula One victory in his 150th race.

World Championship leader Max Verstappen struggled with his car after suffering a puncture early on, which saw him finish the race in P7, whilst Leclerc couldn’t hold on towards the end of the race on his older set of hard tyres and slipped to finish P4 from leading the race on lap 43. Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Mick Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top 10, while six drivers failed to finish the race at Silverstone.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI Card partners with Aditya Birla Finance to launch ‘Aditya Birla SBI Card’: SBI Cards and Payment Services announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Finance (ABFL), the lending subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital for the launch of ‘Aditya Birla SBI Card’. The card has been designed to give customers significant reward points on their spending around telecom, fashion, travel, dining, entertainment, and hotels, among others.

This partnership will enable us to issue credit cards to Aditya Birla Group’s customer base, thereby providing them a great product for all their spending needs. This is in line with our strategy of enhancing value for both customers and co-brand partners. The customer acquisition process will be completely digital, thereby ensuring an enhanced customer experience.

About the Aditya Birla Finance: Aditya Birla Finance (ABFL), a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital is among the leading well-diversified non-banking financial services company in India. ABFL offers customized solutions in areas of personal finance, mortgage finance, SME finance, corporate finance, wealth management, debt capital markets and loan syndication.

About the SBI Cards: SBI Cards and Payment Services is a non-banking financial company that offers extensive credit card portfolio to individual cardholders and corporate clients.

Note: SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana; SBI Card Managing Director & CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara.

 

2. SBI Life and Paschim Banga Gramin Bank sign a bancassurance agreement: A bancassurance agreement has been reached between the Paschim Banga Gramin Bank and SBI Life Insurance. Through the cooperation, SBI Life’s assortment of protection, wealth development, credit life, annuity, and savings products will be made available at all Paschim Banga Gramin Bank branches throughout West Bengal, therefore enhancing the region’s access to life insurance solutions.

Arun Kumar Patra, general manager of Paschim Banga Gramin Bank, and Jayant Pandey, regional director of SBI Life, both signed the contract. An agreement between a bank and an insurance firm known as “bancassurance” enables the latter to market its products to the clients of the lender.

Note: General Manager of Paschim Banga Gramin Bank: Arun Kumar Patra;

Regional director of SBI Life, West Bengal: Jayant Pandey

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Star Health and IDFC FIRST Bank joined together to offer Bancassurance: For the distribution of its health insurance options, the insurer and IDFC FIRST Bank have inked a corporate agency agreement. In accordance with this strategic partnership, Star Health and Allied Insurance Company will use IDFC FIRST Bank‘s cutting-edge digital platform and extensive distribution network to offer its best-in-class health insurance products to the Bank’s customers. Key Points:

a)      With a focus on going digital, IDFC FIRST Bank provides customer service through its mobile app and net banking platform, which supplement its network of branches, ATMs, and lending centres.

b)      As the first independent health insurance provider in India, Star Health and Allied Insurance Company began doing business in 2006. It specialises in health, personal accident, and international travel insurance.

c)       On June 27, 2022, shares of Star Health dropped 3.49 percent to Rs 514.80.

Note: MD and CEO of IDFC FIRST Bank: V. Vaidyanathan

MD of Star Health: Prakash Subbarayan

 

2. PokerBaazi appointed Shahid Kapoor as its brand ambassador: PokerBaazi.com, a poker platform, has onboarded actor Shahid Kapoor as its brand ambassador. PokerBaazi.com has launched its new brand campaign ‘You Hold the Cards’ featuring brand ambassador, actor Shahid Kapoor. The company said this association with the actor comes in line with its commitment to popularise and create awareness amongst the masses about poker.

With the campaign titled ‘You Hold the Cards’, the brand aims to create awareness about poker as a skill-based sport and establish that in Poker, the game is under your control, and one can emerge victorious basis of skills, determination, and the right strategy.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Karnataka’s Sini Shetty crowned Femina Miss India 2022: Sini Shetty has won the title of Femina Miss India 2022. She will now represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant. Shetty was crowned Femina Miss India World 2022 by her predecessor Miss India 2020, Manasa Varanasi at JIO World Convention Center in Mumbai. Femina Miss India 2022’s first runner-up is Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan, while the second runner-up is Shinata Chauhan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.

Jury panel of Femina Miss India 2022: The jury panel of Femina Miss India 2022 comprised actors Neha Dhupia, Dino Morea and Malaika Arora, and legendary cricketer Mithali Raj. The panel also included Rahul Khanna, Rohit Gandhi and Shiamak Davar.

 

2. UK Parliament honours Tanuja Nesari with Ayurveda Ratna award: Tanuja Nesari, Director of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) was awarded with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament. The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences (ITSappg) conferred the award recognising her contribution to prmoting the growth of Ayurveda in India and abroad. Dr Nesari has been honoured for her exceptional service of the highest order for the promotion of Ayurveda by an ITSappg committee represented by dignitaries, including Amarjeet S. Bhamra, Ambassador for Ayurveda and Yoga in Great Britain; Virendra Sharma, MP, UK Parliament and Chair, ITSappg; and Bob Blackman, MP, UK Parliament and Chair, ITSappg.

 

3. Michelle Poonawalla received the coveted Shiromani Award: Michelle Poonawalla has received the Shiromani Award at NRI World Summit 2022 in the United Kingdom for her contribution to the field of art. In addition to Poonawalla, the Shiromani Award was also awarded to Shri Sadhu Bhramvihari, Lord Rami Ranger, Rita Hinduja Chhabria.

Michelle Poonawalla was a key note speaker at the House of Lords and accepted the Shiromani Award for her contribution to the field of Art. Poonawalla unveiled her artwork ‘Reserve’ at the JMS Foundation Charity Gala on 23 June. Her film ‘Reserve’ highlighted water scarcity as a global crisis and accentuated pollution and contamination of water reserves.

About the Shiromani Award: The Shiromani Award was instituted in 1977 and has been bestowed on Mother Teresa, Chief Marshal Manekshaw, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, PT Usha, Leander Paes, Vishwanathan Anand, The Dalai Lama, Jaya Bachchan and Asha Bhosle in the past.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Visionary British theatre director Peter Brook passes away: Peter Brook, one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors who perfected the art of staging powerful drama in bizarre venues, has died aged 97. The British director mounted productions ranging from challenging versions of Shakespeare through international opera to Hindu epic poems. He brought a stunning nine-hour adaptation of the Sanskrit epic “The Mahabharata” from France to New York in 1987.

Brook was called many other things: a maverick, a romantic, a classicist. But he was never easily pigeonholed. British by nationality but based in Paris since 1970, he spent years in commercial theater, winning Tony Awards in 1966 and 1971 for the Broadway transfers of highly original productions of Peter Weiss’s “Marat/Sade” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

 

2. Former India goalkeeper EN Sudhir passes away: Former India international EN Sudhir, who played as a goalkeeper for India in the 1970s, died in Mapusa, Goa. Sudhir, who made his international debut against Indonesia in Rangoon (currently Yangon) in the Olympic qualifiers in 1972, represented India in 9 matches. He was also part of the national team in the 1973 Merdeka Cup and the Asian Games squad in 1974.

At the domestic level, he played for three different states in the Santosh Trophy Kerala (1969 and 1970), Goa (1971, 1972, 1973), and Maharashtra in 1975.  Sudhir also played for Young Challengers (Kerala), Vasco Sports Club (Goa), and Mahindra & Mahindra at the club level.

Daily GK Update- 4th July, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NTPC Commissions India’s largest floating solar power project in Telangana: NTPC Ltd has declared the Commercial Operations Date (COD) of the last part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project in Telangana. Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project is India’s largest Floating Solar Plant commissioned by NTPC. Now the total commercial operation of Floating Solar Capacity in Southern Region has reached 217 MW. Prior to this, NTPC declared Commercial operation of 92 MW Floating Solar at Kayamkulam (Kerala) and 25 MW Floating Solar at Simhadri (Andhra Pradesh).

According to the ministry, the total installed capacity of the company is 69,134.20 MW having 23 coal based, seven gas based, one Hydro, 19 renewable energy projects. Under JV, NTPC has nine coal based, four gas based, eight hydro and five renewable energy projects.

Note: NTPC Ltd Founded: 7 November 1975; NTPC Ltd Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

 

2. Grand Hackathon: 3 day event launched by Shri Piyush Goyal: Union Minister Piyush Goyal has virtually kicked off a three-day Grand Hackathon that the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is hosting in association with NABARD. The physical portion of this event took place at the Fort, Mumbai location of the Bombay Stock Exchange. The Grand Hackathon is divided into two categories: the Agri Grant Challenge and the Agri Innovation Hackathon, both of which will highlight innovations that will help the agriculture sector adopt eCommerce.

Key Points:

a)      Speaking at the event, Shri Goyal stated that the newly created ONDC-NABARD Grand Hackathon will give start-ups a platform to collaborate with ONDC and develop creative solutions for some of the most urgent problems in the agri-sector.

b)      Even though it might seem like a tiny move right now, in the long run, this will give farmers all throughout the nation more influence. Early signs suggest that this will likely affect not only the way e-commerce operates in India but maybe the entire world.

c)       According to Piyush Goyal, we should expect quicker economic growth the more we help our farmers access farm inputs and connect with markets utilising technology and innovation.

d)      Notably, ONDC is a Government of India effort with the goal of democratising the nation’s current e-commerce environment by creating an open network for buyers and sellers.

e)      According to Shri Goyal, it is also essential for democratising the agri-value chain and assuring the digital revolution of the agricultural industry. The entire farm value chain, including FPOs, mandis, processors, exporters, MSMEs, and small retailers, will be onboarded by ONDC with the active support of NABARD.

 

3. NMCG Plants 75 Saplings to Create Amrit Vatika: With the installation of 75 trees as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) established Namami Gange Amrit Vatika at Kalindi Kunj Ghat on the River Yamuna in New Delhi. The project Yamuna Ghat par Vriksharopan served as the umbrella organisation for the plantation works. The Union Government of India authorised the Namami Gange Program, an integrated conservation mission, as a “Flagship Program” in June 2014 with a financial commitment of Rs. 20,000 crore.

Speaking at the event, Director General of NMCG G. Asok Kumar stated that one of the Namami Gange Program’s main areas of concentration is cleaning up Ganga tributaries, particularly Yamuna. The attendees were inspired by him to join the Clean Yamuna initiative. The National Mission for Clean Ganga regularly hosts a cleanliness drive on the River Yamuna in Delhi on the fourth Saturday of each month.

 

4. New book explores Gandhi’s role in Champaran Satyagraha: A book titled Gandhi and the Champaran Satyagraha: Select Readings, which has been edited by Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das, was released. At the virtual book launch event, Prof. Das thanked the West Bengal government and the Netaji Institute for Asian Studies for sponsoring the research. The book would immediately become an indispensable resource for those who wanted to look at Mahatma Gandhi’s journey at its very beginning in India with respect to the Champaran Satyagraha.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Yair Lapid takes over as 14th Prime Minister of Israel: Leader of Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid has been officially became the 14th prime minister of Israel, after replacing the Naftali Benett. He is a former journalist who serving as PM of Israel since 1 July 2022. Yair Lapid’s term could be the short one as he take over the caretaker government ahead of Israel’s election which was scheduled to take place on November 1.

Yair Lapid is an Israeli politician and a former journalist. He also previously served as the Alternate Prime Minister of Israel and the Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2022. Before entering politics, Yair Lapid was an author, TV presenter, and news anchor.

Note: Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Israel Currency: New Shekel; Israel President: Isaac Herzog.

 

2. Singapore’s T. Raja Kumar is new president of FATF: T. Raja Kumar of Singapore has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog. Kumar has replaced Marcus Pleyer who was holding the post till now, and will discharge his service for next two years.

Kumar has been working against global terror financing for quite a long time. Soon after taking over the charge, Kumar presented his objectives for the coming plenary period (July 2022 -June 2024) to strength the FATF. During the Singapore Presidency, the FATF will continue its core work of identifying and analysing money laundering and terrorist financing methods and trends, developing and refining the FATF Standards, and evaluating and supporting the assessments of countries within the Global Network

Note: FATF Headquarters: Paris, France; FATF Founded: 1989.

 

3. QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023: Mumbai tops in India: According to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023, released by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Mumbai ranked at 103 has emerged as India’s highest-ranked student city. The other Indian cities in the rankings include Bengaluru at 114, Chennai at 125 and New Delhi at 129.

London (UK) has topped the list ranked 1 followed by Munich (Germany) and Seoul (South Korea) ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively. The ranking provides students with independent data regarding a range of factors relevant to their study decisions: affordability, quality of life, the standard of university, and the views of previous students that have studied in that destination.

Cities based on QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023:

 

Rank 1 – London (UK)

Rank 2 – Munich (Germany)

Rank 2 – Seoul (South Korea)

Rank 4 – Zurich (Switzerland)

Rank 5 – Melbourne (Australia)

Rank 51 – Dubai (UAE)

Rank 103 – Mumbai (India)

Rank 114 –Bengaluru (India)

Rank 125 – Chennai (India)

Rank 129 – New Delhi (India)

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Jasprit Bumrah breaks Lara’s world record smashes Broad for 29 runs: India captain Jasprit Bumrah bludgeoned a hapless Stuart Broad for 29 runs to create a world record for maximum runs off a single over in Test cricket, beating the legendary Brian Lara’s feat by one run. The world record stayed with Lara for 18 years, he had hit South African left-arm spinner Robin Peterson for 28 runs in a Test match in 2003-04, which included four fours and two sixes off six legal deliveries.

Broad, who had also been hit for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in the inaugural World T20 in 2007, gave away 35 in the 84th over of the Indian first innings in the fifth rescheduled Test here. There were six extra runs — five wides and a no-ball. The Indian skipper was not out on 31 off 16 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

 

2. FanCode onboards Ravi Shastri as brand ambassador: Former team India coach and cricketer, Ravi Shastri has been appointed the new brand ambassador for FanCode, a live content, sports statistics and e-commerce marketplace. FanCode is set to host some of the best cricketing action with exclusive rights to India’s tour of the West Indies and ECB’s The Hundred; and Shastri will bring out FanCode’s ‘fan-first’ proposition by leading the upcoming campaigns for these properties.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Govt revamps Banks Board into Financial Services Institutions Bureau: The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments. Guidelines for selection of general managers and directors of public sector general insurance companies have been made part of FSIB.

Why this happen?

a)      The amendments were required as the Delhi High Court in its order last year said the BBB is not a competent body to select the general managers and directors of state-owned general insurers.

b)      The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has asked the Department of Financial Services to carry out necessary modifications in the Nationalized Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme of 1970/1980 with the approval of Finance Minister, and then notify the government resolution for establishing FSIB as a single entity for making recommendations for appointments of whole time directors and non-executive chairman of banks and financial institutions.

c)       The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has also approved the appointment of Bhanu Pratap Sharma, former Chairman, BBB as initial chairperson of FSlB for a term of two years. Other members of the headhunter are Animesh Chauhan, former Chairman and Managing Director of erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce, RBI’s ex-executive director Deepak Singhal and Shailendra Bhandari, former MD of erstwhile ING Vysya Bank.

 

2. RBI modifies the rules for banknote sorting and authentication: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published guidelines ordering banks to test their currency sorting equipment every three months. Following the release of the new series of banknotes, the central bank updated the preexisting standards for authentication and sorting. The Reserve Bank stated that vendors will need to re-calibrate the equipment in the event of inconsistencies during the sorting.

According to new changes, banks must prepare a test deck containing at least 2,000 pieces of dirty notes, including mutilated and phoney Indian currency notes. The machine must be tested using notes in various denominations, including Rs. 100 notes from the old and new series, Rs. 200 notes, Rs. 500 notes, and Rs. 2,000 notes.

About the Modifications made by RBI:

a)      The new set of instructions are enclosed for implementation after a review of these parameters in light of the release of the new series of banknotes.

b)      According to statistics in the RBI’s annual report for 2021–22, banknotes are now issued in the following denominations: Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500, and Rs 2000.

c)       In terms of value, the combined proportion of the Rs. 500 and Rs. 2000 banknotes made up 87.1 percent of the banknotes in use.

d)      When it comes to volume, the biggest percentage of banknotes in circulation as of March 31 belonged to the Rs 500 denomination, which made up 34.9 percent of the total.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Rs 1,44,616 Crore Gross GST Revenue Collection For June 2022: Gross GST collection in June 2022 is the second-highest collection next to the April 2022 collection GST collection crosses Rs 1.40 lakh crore mark 5th time since the inception of GST; 4th month at a stretch since March 2022. The gross GST collection in June 2022 is the 2nd highest collection subsequent to the April 2022 GST collection of Rs 1,67,540 crore.

Key Points:

a)      The total GST revenue collected in the month of June 2022 would be Rs 1,44,616 cr of which CGST would be Rs 25,306 cr, SGST is Rs 32,406 crore, IGST stands at Rs 75887 cr (along with Rs 40102 cr collected on the goods import and cess stood at Rs 11,018 crore (along with Rs 1197 crore collected on import of goods).

b)      The is a settlement of Rs 29,588 crore to CGST and Rs 24,235 cr to SGST from IGST done by the government. Moreover, the center initiated a settlement of Rs 27,000 cr for IGST on the grounds of ad-hoc in the ration of 50:50 between the center and states/UTs in the same month.

c)       The total revenue of the center and the states in June 2022 post to regular and ad-hoc settlement would be Rs 68,394 crore for CGST and Rs 70,141 cr for the SGST.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. HCL Technologies bags Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2022: HCL Technologies was recognised at Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2022, for innovation and implementing customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. HCL Tech bagged Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for Healthcare and Life Sciences (global winner) and the 2022 UK Microsoft Partner of the Year Award (country winner). The IT company was also named a finalist in the 2022 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for Internet of Things (domain finalist).

Note: HCL Technologies CEO: C Vijayakumar (Oct 2016–); HCL Technologies Founded: 12 November 1991; HCL Technologies Headquarters: Noida.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Army Organises Suraksha Manthan-2022: The Desert Corps of the Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022”, on aspects of Border & Coastal Security at Jodhpur (Rajasthan). During the course of the discussions, aspects of interoperability, operational cohesion and logistics were ironed out in order to enhance overall security along the International Boundary (IB) and coastal sectors.

A joint training calendar was also formulated to achieve a higher degree of interoperability and jointness amongst the security forces. Current security threats and challenges, along with joint mitigation response, were deliberated upon and such scenarios would now form part of the forthcoming exercises. It was further decided to create an enabling security environment and develop a tangible capability development road map to achieve the same.

Participants: The manthan was jointly presided over by Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, IPS, Director General Border Security Force (BSF), Director General VS Pathania, Indian Coast Guard and Lieutenant General Rakesh Kapoor, General Officer Commanding Desert Corps and attended by serving officers of the Army, BSF and Coast Guard.